


Losing Hope

by ibkrissy



Category: Far Cry (Video Games), Far Cry 5
Genre: Blood, Blood and Gore, Drinking, Eventual Smut, Explicit Language, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Love Confessions, Protective Siblings, Religion, Secrets, Sibling Rivalry, Smut, Strong Female Characters, Twins, Violence, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-17
Updated: 2019-10-23
Packaged: 2019-11-21 17:11:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 47
Words: 75,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18145070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ibkrissy/pseuds/ibkrissy
Summary: Thrust into a violent struggle between Joseph Seed; The Father, leader of the Project at Eden's Gate, and the people of Hope County, Rook must learn quickly how to not only survive in her new reality but to save as many as she can. However, when she starts to learn that nothing is ever as it appears, her mind plagued by nightmares in her sleep she begins to wonder if the bloodshed is worth the cost. She can only go so long until she will be alone face to face again with Joseph Seed but will her Wrath take over...or something else?





	1. Run

"Just a little further…" She tried to encourage her limbs to keep moving but she felt she had been running for miles by now. Only weapon on her was her 1911 strapped to her hip, but at this point, it was as useful as a paperweight seeing as all of her ammo was spent in her initial escape from the Baptist's bunker.

 

Just as she looked to the sky to somehow get an idea of where she was; stupid clouds hiding the north star and the moon she suddenly felt her knees give way causing her to come crashing to the ground.

 

" _No! Get up… You can do this. You are a fighter and you will not give up now."_  In her mind, it was her own voice encouraging her but seemed to mimic that of her sergeant at the Police Academy in Missoula.

 

 Taking a deep breath, checking around her slowly before she moved she heaved her beaten and bloodied body back up off the ground. Looking ahead she tried to summon all the last bits of reserve she had to just make it up that hill, preparing herself to be let down if it wasn't what she hoped for on the other side. Two miles ago she had seen the smoke rising from this direction, not big enough to be an outpost but hopefully she would be lucky and find a resistance member camping out the night.  
  
" _Please God.… let it be the Resistance…"_ she prayed quietly and wholeheartedly, she had no idea what she would do if it was more Peggies. Before all of this had happened she never found herself to be too religious but in some crazy backward way fighting a doomsday cult was increasingly make her more of a believer in God. She knew she didn't believe in whatever made the Seeds act out in violence but had always known there was some kind of higher power or a God out there - How could she not being raised in Montana known by the locals as 'Last of God's Country', thinking back maybe that in itself was a sign that read "Joseph Seed start your big crazy cult here".

 

Nearing the top of the hill she could have cried in joy seeing three Resistance members camped down by the tree line, a nice fire going and she could even smell the campers stew they were making her hungered stomach seemed to be driven by the smell alone to hurry down that hill. Checking her footing she hurried down the slope, checking her surroundings every few steps learning by now that a patrol of Peggies could emerge at any second if not a plane fly overhead. " _How the hell did they get air support?"_  She remembered asking herself the first time she saw one of the Chosen planes in the sky.

 

Nearing the camp she put on a strong smile not letting any of the Resistance ever see her anything but strong…at least not those who were not in her inner circle she couldn't keep that wall up all the time and was bound to break sooner or later over something. Shooting to their feet from sitting around the campfire, one grabbing and pointing their rifle right at Rook, causing her hands to come up almost instinctually.

 

"Woah, Woah! " she exclaimed as they did taking a couple of steps back. She found herself wondering how long she had been locked away, was she unrecognizable at this point or just gone so long they forgot her.

 

"Fuck…Deputy, you scared the shit out of us." The man said as he lowered his gun.

 

 Taking a deep breath of relief she began to limp her way towards them, realizing a sharp pain in her leg where just hours earlier John Seed had driven his knife into it letting it stick there while he prepared his 'kit' to hear her 'confession.' It was only luck that something called him away quickly and she managed to lean far enough over to tip her chair and break one of the arms in the process making her grand escape. Quickly the only woman of the three hurried over to her, fussing over what wounds of hers they could see and assisting her to sit in the camping chair by the fire. A simple look in all their directions she hoped was all it would take to convey her disinterest in discussing where she had been or what had happened to her leg or the rest of her body for that matter, but unfortunately, they still tried.

 

"Water…and some of that stew if there's any left." She said as she untied the piece of her shirt she used as a tourniquet to stop the bleeding to assess herself better. Her dry throat making her voice hoarse and her tone seeming much angrier than she intended.

 

For tonight she would agree to some of the fuss they made over her wounds, pulling out medkits to help patch her up best they could in the field, gave her a  share of their food, and even gave her one of the sleeping bags to rest for the night. It was one of those rare moments she felt _human._ Not the Deputy, not 'Sinner' as the Peggies called her… not Rook just… human. It was an overwhelmingly relieving feeling as for weeks now it felt all people looked at her as was a weapon against the Cult.

 

She slowly crawled into the tent laying on top of the sleeping bag, deciding with her leg in its current shape trying to maneuver herself inside would be a bit more hassle than it was worth, listening to the sound of one of the men playing guitar, crackling of the campfire, and crickets in the forest allowing it to lull her to sleep.

 

Tomorrow she would hitch a ride back to Falls End…


	2. Beginnings

Why she thought her sleep would be any different this night than it was all other times had eluded her. Ever since the so-called "Reaping" as the cult called it began, ever since she had overtaken her first outpost on Dutch's Island or the first time she was too late to save someone from certain death she would dream of it all at night. Some nights…it was like completely reliving every painful moment as it happened, others it was specific moments…sometimes it was the worst horrors her mind could imagine, tonight was no exception as there was no escape from her own mind.

 

She was taken back there….sitting in that helicopter finishing up the video on their target - Joseph Seed….The Father. Sheriff Whitehorse letting her know she wouldn't have any more signal to see more out here, slowly passing by the giant pompous statue of Joseph on Angel's Peak…Whitehorse trying to convince the Marshall one last time to change his mind before telling Nancy the plan.

 

It all was unfolding just as it had before…as much as she tried to change things she couldn't say anything different or move her body a different way…all she could do was know what she did now and watch as they walk into that church…walk right into the belly of the beast. She could hear the congregation singing 'Amazing Grace' amazed that a violent doomsday cult would be singing her favorite hymn of all time…the thought now sickened her but still, she found herself humming or softly singing to herself as she had since she was a child. Once again she was brought out of that shock of hearing it by Hudson telling her she would be fine, bringing a calm and comfort to her before those big white church doors flung open as the Marshal practically barged into the middle of their service.

 

Slowly they walked inside, Peggies filling the pews on either side of them; some armed, some not visibly so. Looking ahead her breath was nearly taken from her as her eyes caught him….Joseph Seed. His voice calm yet a sense of power behind them with each one he spoke, talking of what was to come…what was at their doorstep. His voice was not the first thing that Rook noticed…he stood tall, much taller than she did; making her wonder how she would be the one to direct him out of the church when she was the shortest next to Hudson, his body full of scars and tattoos…his chest laid bare before them, a rosary hanging wrapped around his wrist and hand, the black jeans and boots he wore really the only clothing on him. She remembered when he looked at her after the Marshall announced his arrest, she felt in that moment he wasn't looking at her but right into the deep depths of herself and just a moment…she felt strangely attracted to him even as he called her a Locust in his Garden, quoted some kind of verse and stated how God wouldn't let her take him.

 

Stepping towards each other she unbuckled her cuffs from her belt. Taking a moment to notice the 3 standing behind Joseph who by her debriefing she knew to be his siblings.

 

 _"How is it this whole family is good looking? Aren't evil people supposed to be… I don't know…Deformed?_ " She joked to herself holding back a smile or any sign what she was thinking. All of the siblings looked directly at her…but unlike Joseph, it didn't feel as if her soul was being examined… Time froze as she remembered each look hating how dreams seemed to work that way.

 

Jacob…his gaze was of almost a hunger like a wolf looking at his prey…Faith hers was soft and calm, almost like she pitied the young deputy who was about to change all of their lives just by one action… then there was John who until she was in his bunker she couldn't begin to decipher his look; causing her to wonder how wrong she is about the others. His was a look of anticipation…a look of sadistic eagerness to pull her sins from her lips before branding them onto her.

 

"Rookie, Cuff this sonovabitch" coming out of the Marshalls' lips snapped her back to reality.

 

"God will not let you take me," Joseph stated in a matter of fact tone as all his siblings stood behind him, outside she could hear the cultists he had sent out already causing an uproar.

 

"We will just see about that won't we." She said mockingly as she put the cuffs onto his wrists, her eyes never leaving his even when she felt that even now she tries to convince herself was static charge when she touched him.

 

Then it all slowed….walking to the chopper…the Peggies getting out of control…trying to take off only to come crashing down bracing herself for impact as Joseph sang calmly like death wasn't staring them in the face.

 

Maybe he was right…because everything that happened after that proved that we weren't taking him…these cultists were serious and were not going to be taken so easily. She remembered the first time she really felt the Wrath build into her gut….coming out of her stunned state to hear Nancy beg for a reply, her trying desperately to reach the radio and call for help only for her arm to be grabbed suddenly and pushed away before replying to Nancy himself…it wasn't this that angered her…it was a woman she'd known since childhood…a woman who once baked her and her brother cookies to eat when they visited the station using just a few simple words…"Yes, Father, Praise be to You." It was the first time in her recent memory of Wrath bubbling at the surface threatening to erupt and engulf all those around her.

 

She remembered all the sensations of that moment… the smell of the burning plane and woods near it…blood…and then _him._ Why was she remembering so intensely how the Father smelt? It wasn't a cologne like John seemed to bathe in…and she had yet to be close enough to any of the other siblings to even know what to compare to. Joseph's scent was calming like the smell of the woods after a cleansing rain.  She remembered the sounds of the cultists cheering at the Father's quick speech to begin the 'Reaping' as he called it. The screams of her friends as they were taken away while she crashed to the ground and immediately tried to run, foolishly looking back once to see The Father himself grabbing a pistol from one of his faithful, an intense look in his eyes as he walked towards her, his intense stare never leaving her. Nearly tripping over a fallen log in front of her she turned, using the log as a launching point letting her legs take her fast as they could.

 

The rest was a blur…finding the Marshall at some house down the road….the two of them frantically trying to escape the Cult with plans to go get the calvary in Missoula…only for that dream to come crashing into the river with them in that truck.

 

As soon as the truck hit the water Rook snapped awake gasping for air as she sat up, moving her hands over herself and looking around to take an evaluation of where she was.

 

"Just a dream…." She said as she took a deep breath falling back on the cold ground. It was this time but in reality…that all happened and then some. Her friends were still in the hands of the various siblings… but she had saved many people here in Holland Valley even liberating Falls End on her first day, but it never seemed to be enough. Slowly standing, bracing herself for the pain in her leg she stepped outside the tent looking around her. The sun had just risen maybe a half hour prior so she knew it was dark enough to make it safely to the main road then to steal a car back to Falls End.

 

 She wasn't waiting for her temporary companions to awake and pack up for all she knew they were heading somewhere more important in the opposite direction. Grabbing a spare pack they had filling it with a few supplies she needed like a medkit, a box of ammo, a canteen and one of their radios moving as quickly and quietly as she could manage. She made sure to not take more than she needed, not anything that would hamper their own tasks or leave them in more danger but to be sure she scrambled a quick note letting them know what exactly she took, leaving the 200 dollars she had on her for them to get new supplies.

 

"Falls End, Do you copy?" She radioed in as she neared the road.  Figured she would let them know she was alive and on her way she didn’t' need a repeat of last night.


	3. Reunion

As turned into Falls End she felt truly relieved for the first time since John had grabbed her a couple of days before, taking her first long deep breath since she ran out of that bunker on a busted up leg. To her luck she only had to walk about four miles before coming across an abandoned truck just off the road; remembering to thank whatever higher power there is out there that she wouldn't have to walk farther, a quick look around to make sure it wasn't booby-trapped and she hotwired it back to life.

 

During the drive all she could think of was what she was going to tell everyone in Falls End knowing they would have endless questions and then the fuss over her injuries; that was if she was lucky and they don't immediately go into "Rook I need you to…" moments. Slowly she felt her mind start to wander as she watched the beautiful Montana landscape fly past her from the patches of forest to the farms and fields; it would always take her breath away even on the worst of days. Soon her thoughts wandered to her dream last night reliving that first encounter with the Seeds. Shaking her head tried to push her mind away from that trail; knowing now was not the time nor was it worth focusing on what had already happened back then when so much more was going on now.

 

By the time she was driving down Main Street in Falls End the truck stereo was blaring that good ol' rock n roll music, her windows rolled down with her arm resting outside of it, letting that warm summer breeze blow into the truck. As she pulled up to the Spread Eagle, Mary May was sitting outside with Boomer like they often did she was coming back into town. By now she was no longer surprised to see either Mary or Jerome had gone to the 8-Bit to grab Boomer; either to assist a hunting party or just hang out in Falls End but she didn't mind it. They typically had let her know where he'd be, and it was good for him to get out more often -- her adventures were not always the safest to take a dog on even if Boomer was probably the most badass dog she ever met. 

 

"Dep!" She heard Mary May call out as Rook got out of the truck, making her way towards the two of them. Boomer was already bounding happily towards her,  Rook began kneeling down to meet him at his level; however, that was only to stop him from knocking her completely off her feet and before she knew it she was on her ass with the big goofball kissing her face all over.

 

"Okay, okay, Okay! Yes, I missed you too, Boom… Boomer!" She said in full fit of laughter as the dog continued on to lay on top of her smothering her with his head as he was overexcited by her being back. All was fine and well until he laid right onto her injured leg with his backward dog knee and she tried to hold in the urge to yell out.

 

"Hey, Boomer save some of her for the rest of us!" Just as soon as those words were spoken the dog hopped off of her and trotted over to where the voice had come from. Turning slowly she smiled seeing the tall man dressed in plaid still wearing his badge on his belt and his revolver on his hip, patting Boomer on his head with both a smile and concerned look on his face at the same time.

 

"Glad to see you're still with us Dep, the last anyone saw you neck deep in Peggies. " Mary wasn't wrong there…It wasn't pretty when John's men finally got ahold of her and she was taking as many down as she could before the bliss bullets they shot into her took effect.

 

Looking behind her she could see the look on the man behind her, if John saw it he would probably tattoo Wrath over and over on him until he ran out of ink. The two of them had always been able to communicate without even saying a word and the look he gave her was one of 'we are going to talk and no you aren't getting out of this'. She took a breath before turning her attention back to Mary as she stood up dusting off the dirt and hair Boomer had transfered from his fur onto her. 

 

"Look Mary…. I would love to clue everyone in but its been a long few days… I need a shower and get all of this gross bunker and forest gunk off of me pronto." She tried to say light-heartedly. It was the truth, she knew just from the bit she could see in the mirror of the truck as she drove that she looked like hell and she wasn't about to go into details without at least cleaning up first.

 

"Yeah… You're pretty muddied up there. All your stuff is still upstairs. But hey, we are all getting together later for a beer and some food." Mary said as she slipped an arm over Rook's back; half helping her inside so she didn't have to put as much weight on her leg and partly in a hugging manner just happy to know she was there to fight another day.

 

\---

 

A few hours later she was sitting on a bar stool laughing at Nick Rye's impression of John Seed, drinking a nice cold beer with one burger down and ready for another. One thing she loved about being at the Spread Eagle was Mary May always had beer and Casey was always ready to fire up the kitchen and get to cooking - she was just glad she didn't have to hear about him ranting about the Testy Festy for once after she promised for the 100th time when she took care of John they would make sure to have the best Testy Festy ever had in Hope County in celebration. The minute she said that he quit asking…She couldn't help but think that he started seeing an even better event than originally planned and went to work; she chose not to think of how much more he would ask her to take care of later.

 

The Spread Eagle was more alive than she had seen it in a while, and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. In moments where she felt she was neck deep in Peggie bullshit, when all people asked was for her to go here and do this, take out this person or rescue the people at this location it was nice to be appreciated and honestly feel people cared if she was there.

 

Pastor Jerome and Kim were sitting at one of the tables playing cards, Nick had now sat talking to Grace while Mary May was doing her thing as the bartender serving up drinks and Casey was busy cleaning up the kitchen while other patrons scattered around the bar in conversation or playing bar games. Looking around the room she scanned looking for him, knowing among anyone he was worrying the worst at her absence. Scanning twice she still didn't see him, looking over at Mary with what she was sure a look of concern.

 

"He went upstairs a while ago." She smiled and nodded. That was all the word Rook needed, finishing off her beer and sneaking off for what she knew would not be a fun conversation


	4. Protector

Opening the door to her bedroom in the upstairs apartment, she saw the young man sitting on the end of the bed with a glass clutched tightly into his hands; with knowing him was more than likely whiskey. Turning to close the door she braced herself, the man looked up just as she turned back to him, causing her heart sunk upon seeing the worry on his face. She could only imagine what he had been through in her absence both with fighting the Peggies and learning she was dumb enough to get caught.

 

"Why didn't you tell me you were going out there? " His voice was calm…but there was such anger and hurt behind it. For a moment she could have sworn she was speaking to the Father at that moment; maybe he had been hearing too many of his sermons over the radios Peggies seemed to hunker down with at outposts or roadblocks.

 

"I..I should have. I have no excuse but you and Nick were on the other side of the Valley taking care of your own tasks. We agreed only way we win this thing is if we work together and sometimes that means splitting the work." She crossed her arms looking back at him. She knew she should have had back up but at the same time, she knew if she was taken and he wasn't there was hope. Hope that she could get away because she would focus on herself or because he would bring hell down on John Seed just to get her back and if somehow she didn't make it out alive with him still around there would be hope for the Resistance and the Liberation of Hope County.

 

"You have always been so independant...No you have always been so damn proud, and one of these days it will get you killed." He looked back at her with the same look she remembered her dad would any time he was disappointed but at the same time secretly proud. "Taking on that many on your own what were you thinking?"

 

She scoffed. It wasn't like she planned in running into the sizable capture party; they seemed to double the size after their last capture attempt first attempt was foiled by Jerome coming to their rescue. "I was just scouting the area. I didn't think there was a need for back up on a simple scouting mission. You know how much easier it is that way. Next thing I know I hear John in my ear and bullets flying past me."

 

She took a couple more steps into the room, he stood up walking over and hugging her tightly the force of his large frame against her small one nearly knocking the wind out of her. She hugged him back trying not to notice the fact he had his own battle scars from when he was fighting while she was locked away.

 

"From now on…We do this together. Always. " He didn't ask, his voice was too matter of fact for that.

 

"As we always have." She smiled looking up at him. "Since the moment we were born."

 

He just chuckled and trying to pull her into a headlock, which by now she had mastered pulling away from and subsequently twisting his arm around his back. "Just don't forget who taught you that move. _Little_ sister" He said laughing as she pushed his arm upwards slightly. She hated when he insisted on calling her his little sister…they were barely a minute apart.

 

"Could never forget Noah. You won't let me." She chuckled and walked to her bed sitting down kicking off her boots.

 

\----------

 

The next hour the siblings sat talking about all that happened the last couple days from where and how she had managed to get herself captured, to how he managed to take back US Auto from the cult; big surprise her gear head brother would go to that outpost almost immediately. He then told her how John radioed him to mock him while telling him how he had Rook in his bunker.  Seeing the flash in her brother's eyes when he told her of all that came after that moment until he was informed she escaped, she could not help but chuckle slightly at how John thought she was the embodiment of Wrath, but her brother was more so. 

 

"Noah, don't blame yourself. He moved me twice in 2 days, luckily that was his mistake. He was so focused on making sure you didn't find me _yet_  but didn't think of the fact it would give me all I needed to make my getaway. " She sat back smirking as she thought of the look on his face returning to that empty confession room. She knew the entire time John planned on using her as bait for her brother especially knowing when Joseph told him if they didn't reach atonement the Gates of Eden would be closed to him…Joseph did not just mean her he meant both of them.

 

"I know that, but when we both came here I promised our dad I would look out for you. I don't want to tell him I failed.  _If_  we ever get out of here." He sighed towards the end, his voice dying off into a whisper as he looked down to his hands. He was always her protector even though she never needed it…ever since they had lost their mother he became even more protective. They both had always wanted to be in law enforcement; taking their own roads towards it and she always made a point that anything her brother did she would try to do even better.

 

"Look…I know you have the experience to deal with this. I'm just asking you have the _faith_ in me to do the same." She asked wholeheartedly. She put a little more emphasis on faith, hoping instead of pissing him off thinking of one of the Seeds they had heard enough about but had yet to encounter, and instead focus on her tone. "I can do this Noah…. _We_  can do this."

 

With that there was nothing else to say between them for now. Noah knew his sister well enough to leave asking what happened during her time with John until she was ready to tell him, and she knew now he had voiced his worry and she did her best to reassure him. Leaning down to kiss her forehead Noah bid her goodnight, heading to his small room adjacent to hers closing the door behind him

 

The bar had quieted down and all she could hear was occasional distant chatter and crickets outside her window. It was still and peaceful...if only that meant she would have a peaceful night of sleep for once. 


	5. Soldier

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Chapter depicts battle with combat PTSD.

He wished he felt more relieved than he really did as he walked into his dimly lit room above the Spread Eagle. Quickly pulling his flannel off and tossing it across the room with a small grunt of frustration; he had really wanted to throw something bigger and harder but knowing how his sister would immediately react if he did the shirt would have to do for now. After all that she battled her way through the last couple days he didn't want to worry her or cause for any alarm if there did not need to be. She deserved a peaceful night and to rest after her ordeal. He didn't sit down onto the bed, no he fully fell backwards laying on his back staring at the ceiling.

 

" _When did everything get so out of control…"_ he found himself wondering. It wasn't just Joseph Seed and his damn cult taking over the county; taking properties, kidnapping or killing innocent civilians and the other multitude of absolutely fucked up shit they were up to…no he was talking about the anger that seemed to continuously boil up within him.

 

He always had issues with his anger for as long as he could remember but there were definitely events in his life that caused it to grow. His mother's death when they were young, losing their little brother…stupid decisions in high school he would always regret and finally his tour at War in the army. Every day since the so called Reaping began he found himself battling back the darkest part of his soul as he changed from the new Junior Deputy in Fall's End who finally seemed to be getting his shit together…to being one half of the glue that held the Resistance by becoming something he thought he left behind…A Soldier.

 

With every successful shot fired from his rifle, every successful take down or just the moment he realized he was too little too late and more innocent people were killed by the Cultists…there was no mistaking what this truly was…a war. This was not a war like the one he fought over sees… this was a much more brutal and challenging war than he ever expected to encounter especially in his own back yard. 

 

Before his sister and the rest of the arresting officers had tried to take in Joseph Seed in his compound, he thought his days of war and being drenched in the blood of the enemy were over. He was ready to deal with more domestic problems as a member of the Sheriff's department but even his combat experience could never prepare him for what they were facing now.

 

Pulling his badge from his belt he brought it up to look onto the metal as if it some how would magically give him the answers or strength he needed. Slowly he moved his thumb over the words and his shield, a sigh again escaping his lips.

 

" _You have potential Kid. You could be Sheriff of Hope County one day if you play your cards right."_ He remembered Sheriff Whitehorse telling him as he handed him the badge. It was a fond memory but he knew now things would never go back to the way they were…even if they defeat the cult and counting on Joseph Seed being wrong about his whole doomsday theory this conflict would change the shape of Hope County forever.

 

He dreaded to shoot down a cultist only to get closer and see it was formerly a friend. Growing up down in south eastern Montana he didn't know a whole mess of people here, but he knew enough to know already how many had been taken or willingly joined Joseph Seed and his cult.

 

" _It's the job now. There is no other choice. People depend on you so buck up already Soldier!"_ He tried pumping himself up mentally every time. He was still fighting the fact he was essentially that soldier once again but he would remember his Sargent always yelling something similar to them in their hardest times at war.

 

Tonight he knew he wouldn't be sleeping his mind was too plagued with everything, if he had things his way they would be out on a trail preparing to take out another silo or taking over yet another outpost. They had so much to do before Holland Valley could ever have a chance to be liberated; or at least to the point the Resistance had a chance to survive without the Deputies so they could move on to help another area of the county.

 

Placing his badge onto the nightstand, he stared up at the ceiling praying for sleep to come but it never would. If only he knew the dreams his sister was plagued with any time she slept, and that she had begun to wish she could stay awake for days. The two always seemed to be different sides of the same coin in many aspects of their beings but suppose that was just part of being twins.

 

He would lay there still staring up counting the ceiling tiles until early in the morning, his mind wandering from the various things that weighed onto it. He had found himself lost in his own thoughts until a scream from the next room shook him back to reality….


	6. Evolving

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Notes: While her brother faces his own challenges alone in his room, Rook once again is battling her own.

As her brother exited the room she couldn't help but notice the small subtle things about him. Things that if they weren't twins she probably would have absolutely no idea they were occurring. She had hoped she comforted his worried mind enough, but deep inside she knew it had to be something else bothering him. That was until it started to click in her mind.

 

" _Fuck…"_  she said half under her breath. She was suddenly hit with such guilt over not realizing it sooner. He was a damn combat veteran and because she slapped some cuffs on 'The Father' essentially pissing off the cult and give him a reason to claim his so-called prophies were coming true, and they were now in a war in their own backyard. She could never make up for that no matter how hard she tried, so all she could do was try to pull her weight and then some. She had to keep an eye on her brother so he did not fall back into the same lost mindset he was in for so long after returning from Afghanistan. If only she knew how dangerously close he was already getting.

 

Deciding not to sit there beating herself up any longer she stood to her feet just long enough to strip down to her t-shirt and pull on a pair of shorts before crawling under the covers. Nights like this where she was able to actually curl up in a real bed, with real blankets and rest she remembered to be thankful. Typically she would be laying on the cold hard ground inside a sleeping bag, laying on a makeshift bed out of whatever she could find in the woods or some random shelter she found while trekking through Hope County.

 

It wasn't long after she relaxed into the bed she had finally drifted off to sleep, her body feeling far heavier with exhausted than she thought it would. Tonight would be no different than other nights when it came to her having nightmares, but now slowly they would begin to change.

 

\----------

_"What...Where…"_ Her eyes blinked trying to adjust to the light, looking down to see her arms tied to the uncomfortable metal chair she was seated in.

" _How in the fuck…"_ She looked around the room she was in, taking a deep breath to calm herself. Scanning slowly over the walls she knew she was not inside a bunker or another van, but still not a clue where she was. It was when her eyes moved over to a picture of the Seed family on top of a metal tray on which sat what appeared to be various tools, a bowl of water with a washcloth and finally…a tattoo gun.

"Fuck…" This time it wasn't mentally kept to herself but fully escaped her lips. Her neck snapped as she heard boots walking from behind her, the sound of someone clicking their tongue in disapproval.

"Deputy…Deputy…Deputy…" His voice both made her blood boil and her spine freeze in terror that moment. As soon as he came to her side she shot him a glare wishing if she glared hard enough he may just burst into flames.

 "What are we to do with you…?" he continued as he walked to the stool nearby, pulling it over to sit in front of the woman.

"I was hoping to find you and that  _pesky_  brother of yours together". She felt her jaw tighten as her hands moved into fists at his mention of her brother; a reaction quickly observed by John bringing a satisfied look on his face.

"Stay the FUCK away from him." She spat towards him, struggling slightly in her restraints as she leaned forward. He only would respond with a cocky smirk while shaking his head, leaning forward to rest his forearms on his knees.

"Now Deputy… You had not let me finish." His pompous tone of voice not helping as she attempted to hold back the anger building inside. "Seeing as you are the only one here I felt it fitting to start your road to Atonement…Towards the Gates of Eden." The smugness on his face as he sat back clasping his hands together. She looked down for a moment before looking back at him with a smirk across her lips.

"You seem to be a bit confident that it will happen, John. " She leaned forward towards him, staring straight into his eyes knowing the fire behind hers was shining bright.  "Or is that eager...?" Her smirk grew wider. "Couldn't be that big brother would leave you out in the cold if it never did." She bit the inside of her lip still with a smirk however the flash she would see in his eyes was almost enough to stop it. Before she could react she felt a sharp pain across the side of her head nearly knocking her and her chair over, blood falling from her lips as she looked to the floor.

"Is that the best you've got John?" she slowly looked back at him her voice in almost a growl as she stared him down. 

She wasn't about to bare her soul to him, nor make anything easy for him choosing to take a chance to believe Joseph's warning meant John was not allowed to kill her during the process. All she had to do was last long enough for her brother to find her or for an opportunity to escape appeared. Until that time came she was going to enjoy her own jabs at the Baptist even if it was met by a bat or some other kind of item across the face.

"Oh…There is much more to come Deputy…and I will pull every one of your sins forth from you before we are done."  He had leaned in closer to her as he nearly whispered the words, his blue eyes staring intensely into hers. She felt a chill shoot through her and her breath hitch in her throat unsure if it was just because he was too close or the overpowering smell of his cologne.

 "Say _Yes_ " Two words that were too close to being almost seductive in tone especially with his punctuation to how he said Yes.

She pondered for a moment of how to respond to him, leaning back into her seat not moving her gaze from his as if they were at a standoff with each other, neither one's pride allowing them to back down. The two of them sat in this manner for several minutes before he clasped his hands together before standing up suddenly.

"I believe it is time we had a change of scenery" he stated as moved to untie her from the chair only to handcuff her hands behind her back. With a hand firmly onto the back of her neck, he guided her forcefully out of the room into the main part of the building. 

" _Of course…Where else would I be right now?"_ Was the first thought as she realized she was inside the Seed Ranch. John continued to push her forward his hand gripping harder onto the back of her neck, she would try and mentally take note of all she could as they left.

 

\-------

Laying in her bed her body made slight movements; kick of her legs here and there, her hand twitching. Soft mumbles or groans escaping her as she was lost inside of her dreams as they began to take form away from her memories, as suddenly it moved from her time in the Ranch to her time in his bunker.

 

Once again she was tied to an uncomfortable metal chair this time in a cold dim lit room inside of John's Gate. Her throat was dry from dehydration, her head throbbing as she knew a black eye was forming from the previous encounter with one of his tools, and she could almost even feel a bruise on the back of her neck where John held onto her just to have control as they made their way to the bunker.

"I will ask you _again_ ….Will you Deputy confess your sins so you may reach atonement?" He was twisting a wooden handled pocket knife in his hands as he walked around her, her eyes following him closely as he watched her, saying nothing. With half a sigh he would shake his head in disappointment, giving Rook no time to try and decipher what was in his mind as the Baptist plunged the knife into her leg.

Her eyes shot right into his as she cried out wishing she could grab onto her leg around the knife knowing he just barely missed the artery. He looked right back at her like he was trying to search for what was inside her soul, but this was all different…no one rushed in with an emergency as they had before. He reached forward grabbing onto the knife pushing it down further into her flesh, as she fought to not cry out in pain. 

"This could be so much _easier_ for you…But you are choosing to be _difficult_. This will make you reaching Atonement all that much _sweeter_ ". There was that same strange tone as he gave her before. Quickly he pulled out the knife from her leg with one hand, blood gushing from her leg, she couldn't hold back a small cry out with her hands stretching out and her body moving forward as he did. After a few seconds, she managed to regain her composure; her breath shaky as she stared at him with her fists clenching again while her leg continued to bleed.

"Or I will bleed out right here all over the floor…" She said as she tried to hold herself both conscious and from completely cussing out the bastard who stood in front of her with a knife covered in her blood. At first, he would smirk looking down as he twisted the tip of the knife lightly against his finger watching as the blood dripped from it moving to look at her leg. 

She was right, he had become too eager and allowed his anger to take control; something he would not do again. Saying nothing he would walk to his workbench grabbing a washrag and a bowl of water moving over to kneel in front of her. Dipping the washrag partly into the water he would squeeze out much of the excess water before pressing it firmly against her leg. Wincing at the sting she sat back staring down at him watching as he paid borderline gentle care to the wound he had created. How could a man who was known and had just shown several times his sadistic nature suddenly so softly tending to the wound he just made? Her thoughts began to swim as she still fought from fading due to blood loss just as he began to speak.

"Did you know my brother told me once I should show more love during these sessions?" He asked her as he tended to her leg; the bleeding slowing down gradually, he would dab off and on to check the process and evaluate how much pressure to apply. He paused looking back to her eyes as he drew back a deep breath holding it there.

"He was convinced if I did not, my death would come soon. He would tell me of it any time he came here to witness a confession, called to remind me of it constantly and  told me never to delete the message he left at the lodge."

She sat back listening and watching him, his eyes now rarely moving from looking deeply into hers as he tossed the soiled towel to the side. For hours he had tried to convince her to confess her sins and here she felt suddenly he was confessing to her, telling her of his brothers absolute fear that he was running quickly to his death if he continued as he did.

"Perhaps this is a time I try to listen to the Father." He moved his hand to her chin turning her to look up at him, slowly he smoothed his lips together looking from her lips to her eyes, beginning to lean in his lips drawing closer to hers. 


	7. Back To Work

"NO!" She screamed out as she sat straight up in bed in a complete cold sweat. She barely had the chance to snap to reality when her brother had barged in with his gun drawn fully prepared to murder whatever had caused his sister to scream like that so early in the morning.

 

He moved quickly to sit next to her as soon as he realized there was no physical threat, but still, something had shaken her. Hugging her close as she tried to catch her breath, he began rubbing his hand up and down her back as he gently kissed the side of her head.

 

"You're safe. It was just a bad dream…you are here with us in Fall's End he doesn't have you anymore." He had assumed she was dreaming about whatever had happened to her while in John's hands. Looking towards the door as he heard footsteps approach he moved one hand off his sisters back to hold it out towards Mary, simply offering her a nod for now. His sister didn't need anyone else worrying over her and somehow he thought Mary did as well because she just nodded in return before slipping back downstairs.

 

"It was so _real_ Noah…Like it was all happening all over again." She took a deep breath trying to calm her racing heart.

 

"Except it was so different this go around." She pulled away wiping tears from her face. She hated how at the moment she was like a child who had a bad dream about the boogieman: but wasn't John Seed essentially the boogie man of Holland Valley?

 

"This time no one came barging in with an emergency…He pushed the knife so much farther…He..." She had to take a few breaths before she could continue.

 

"He then decided to tend to the wound he just created while telling me about some bullshit dream Joseph had about needing to love more." She shivered at the thought of it all, deciding not to tell him that she screamed herself awake because the twisted bastard leaned in to kiss her, and she almost felt herself leaning towards him. 

 

"I swear when I get ahold of him…" There was that wrath again in his eyes and his voice. She wanted to try and calm him but knew how he hated the Seeds so intensely and so quickly that it was of no use.

 

"If he ever tried to do any more to me… He would be a dead man Noah. " She smirked as she grabbed her pistol from under her pillow waving it. He just would chuckle at her shaking his head as she set the gun back down.

 

"Sun is coming up. We should make our plans and head out. " She knew she was still healing from her time with John Seed and her leg was still sore, but she wanted to get back to work on helping the people of this Valley and claiming it back piece by piece by the Peggies. For a moment her brother looked down to her leg to which she chuckled.

 

"Just a few stitches and after sleeping in a real bed it feels brand new." She said as she patted the wound lightly trying not to wince at the fact it really smarted when she did.

 

"Ready in 10?" He asked as he stood up to go get himself ready deciding not to argue she should stay and rest a day or two or to slow down what so ever.

 

"Make it 15, I want to talk to Mary before we get into the thick of things. Can you look over the map and plan our first stop?" She was already leaning over her bed to her pack underneath holding her spare clothes as he walked out of the room. She exhaled as she examined her stitches once more before she started to get changed glad that her brother bought her half-truths and for once didn't fight her on wanting to get back out there.

 

\--------

 

Barely an hour later and they were on the road beginning to head towards the nearest Peggie outpost in silence, the sounds they could hear were that of their footsteps on the dirt road, Boomer's happy pants as he ran beside them and the birds singing Hope County awake. Despite the turmoil all around them, the morning was a pleasant change of beauty.

 

Not like that stillness could last long, someone sooner or later would either radio in with an update or needing them to hurry somewhere to do something for them. Or every once in a while it would be John Seed himself radioing them with taunts of how he would get their confessions. How he had so quickly and easily managed to tap into whatever frequency she would be on she had no idea, but after a while the annoyance she felt any time he would fade away as it became easier to ignore him.

 

"Hey Rook." She heard through the earbud in her right ear.

 

Moving to hold down the small button on her earbud she responded. "Go for Rook."

 

"Mary May radioed in a bit ago and let me know you were already headed out. Have your head on a swivel John dispatched more road and air convoys to look for the two of ya. I would normally say radio Nick to come to watch your back but we have reports of heavy activity by Rye and Sons. You may want to go check that out." Dutch was always so straight to the point mixed with sarcasm as he talked about John doubling patrols or sending out capture parties if she didn't know better she would think he was sitting in his bunker with a bucket of popcorn as he watched her on CCTV cameras fighting cultists around the county.

 

"Copy that. Thanks, Dutch, we will head to Ryes now. Rook Over and out." She looked over at her brother waiting for one of his impressions of John; those ones always he seemed to do any time he would send more of his Chosen out for them or just amp up the Peggie's presence in a certain area, but he just looked forward as they walked. She searched for the small indications of what was going through his mind but he just took a deep breath turning to his sister.

 

"Fuckin' Peggies. I swear I will rip John Seed's heart out if something happened to Kim or the baby. " His voice was steady but full of anger. She knew he wouldn't mention if something happened to Nick, truth be told both the Rye's could handle themselves but Kim being in her 3rd trimester she would be the big worry especially to her brother. She just started walking forward, as she passed her brother she would touch her hand carefully to his shoulder.

 

"Nick is capable to hold them off until we get there. Let's go." That reassurance seemed all her brother needed as he refocused and they swiftly made their way to Rye and Son's Aviation.


	8. Rye's Aviation

By the time they had arrived at the airstrip, it was covered in Peggies with Nick bunkered behind some crates in his hanger. Noah headed towards the left, back behind the other building across from the airstrip, while Rook headed in Nick's direction with Boomer close behind the two of them taking out cultists as they moved along. It seemed for 10 minutes there was only gunfire, a couple of minor explosions and insults being thrown at each side until finally, the last cultist fell.

 

"Christ sakes they just kept coming. " Nick said as he came out from behind his cover setting his rifle on top of the crate as he filled another clip with ammo.

 

"Kim's inside hopefully packing. I'm getting the hell out of here partner, this is no place to try and have a baby. God damn Joseph Seed and his fuckin' Peggies!"  The pilot was visibly upset as he looked around then back to Noah and Rook.

 

"They took my plane to the Seed's Ranch. I swear if they fuck her up." The siblings looked back to each other both taking a deep breath as they knew what he was about to ask them…to head to the ranch and take back his plane.  Rook just nodded slightly to her brother, she didn't like the idea of heading back to that place but it was an important cult outpost and Nick needed his plane.

 

"We've got it, Nick. Just get everything ready and hold down the fort here. If any more of them show up radio it into us and Fall's End." Noah told his friend as he patted him on the arm.

 

"Boomer, stay with Nick okay boy?" Rook knelt down to the dogs level as she patted his head; he responded with a bark and a quick lick to the face. Rook smiled standing back up and dusting herself off as she did a quick evaluation of the airstrip noticing two points they could quickly place a couple of proximity mines to prevent the cult from cutting through. While she took care of that Noah grabbed some more ammo out of one of the crates that Nick kept stashed in his hanger. One final look through and Nick giving a final rundown of where he believed his plane was stashed, the siblings made their way towards the ranch.

 

\-------

 

"Three alarms. Snipers on both of the roofs of the main two buildings, at least two watchmen on the outer walkways upstairs. Those are the ones that almost always are the same but there can be several walking the premises." Rook gave her brother the rundown of what to expect when they arrived as they neared the compound. The ability to do so was currently the benefit she could see from her time there with John.

 

As they came to the top of the small ridge to the compound; deciding to use the small bit of tree line as cover to scout exactly where the guards were she felt that chill down her spine again. Swallowing hard she grabbed her brother motioning him to get down as she pointed to the front of the building. There he was, John Seed standing in front of a small group of cultists discussing something they could not hear.

 

 "No. Not yet." She said as she stopped her brother from going for his gun. As much as it would be nice to take out the so called Herald of Holland Valley right then and there, she knew they had much more work to do before they could if the Resistance had a chance.  Let's face it his death would probably piss the cult and Joseph off big time, and end any chance they had of ultimately taking down Joseph. Noah gave a small grumble as he grabbed his binoculars instead looking through them towards John.

 

So they waited…and waited…and waited. They watched through their binoculars as John would stand and talk to the cultists over who knows what, he went into what appeared to be the hanger for a little while then into the main house. Three long hours later he had finally gotten into his truck and left the compound.

 

"Fucking finally…" She said as she moved to kneel making her way slowly to a small rock formation that would allow her to be high enough to take out the 3 alarms. "Lets get this over with."

 

It didn't take long for them to disable all 3 alarms, take out the snipers and lookouts before finishing off the rest of the guards. Rook was just thankful it was done quickly so they could grab Nick's plane and get the fuck out of there she had no desire to remain there longer than they had to.

 

While Noah radioed in their success to Jerome so he could send some of the Resistance out to hold their new outpost, Rook began looking around the main lodge house. Barely anything had changed…yet again she had only been there a few days prior. The pictures of the Father and the Seed family in general, along with Cult paperwork and a few copies of the Book of Joseph were cluttered throughout the house, but as she walked into the room she was held captive in days before she froze. On the floor in front of the chair, he had her strapped into was a handwritten note.

 

' _Deputy, I was so disappointed our last time together was cut so short but don't worry we will be revisiting it all again very soon. Seems in your absence your brother had made quite a mess for me to clean up and I know you both will be coming to take my Ranch soon. You can look for whatever it is you think you will find here but I have already ensured to remove anything we do not want you hearing about just yet. My knife and my tattoo gun look forward to seeing you soon. - John Seed."_ She quickly crumpled up the note tossing it across the room. Seemed even when she was not in front of the man physically he found ways to taunt her only this time she couldn't reply back.

 

Quickly exiting the room she walked downstairs over to a table near the fireplace at the bottom of the stairs where her brother stood listening to a voicemail machine. Time began to slow down and almost freeze as she walked down the stairs towards the table, the voice on the tape seeming to echo into her ears.

 

"I have seen your death in a vision…you are destined to be slayed by your own sin…" she heard the Father's voice say over the machine. These words caused her to be frozen in her tracks, her heart nearly stopping as she gripped onto one of the dining chairs to keep herself standing.

 

" _How…no that part was only a dream it wasn't real. That never happened!"_  It was like John had told her in her dream the night before…when it all changed from reliving a memory into something else.

 

_"What the hell is going on here…"_ In her mind she was trying to quickly figure out how it was  even possible that what she was told in a dream was now being heard on the machine in front of her…Right where dream John told her Joseph had left him one. Looking to her brother she could tell he was wondering the same thing.

 

"Is it possible Joseph called while you were here? Maybe you heard it and your mind just reminded you of it in your dream?" He asked her as she walked to the table looking down at the machine. For a second she hoped it was the truth but seeing the date for the message her heart sank again….was left almost two months before. She sat down on the chair in front of the machine as she just stared into it trying to figure out what the hell was even happening here.

 

"Look…don't worry or dwell on this right now so what Joseph really warned his brother about it. That doesn't matter to us anyway does it? We have to grab that plane and take it to Nick, now the Peggies more than likely know we took over the Ranch they will be heading for him again." Noah was right…he was far too often lately. She took a deep breath, standing straight onto her feet again and walked out of the room, now was not the time to try and figure out what was happening.

 

As Rook opened up the doors to the hanger her brother rounded the plane trying to see if the cultist had done anything to it again while radioing Nick for further instructions or what to look for. Rook couldn't help but smirk at the thought of Nick pacing back and forth inside his own hanger imagining the worst scenarios possibly about his plane. Noah hopped into the cockpit after his final walk around while Rook took her place in the gunner's seat behind him.

 

Luckily in Noah's time living in Fall's End before this all had happened he had found himself becoming fast friends with Nick; even learning basics of flying in his spare time. His being able to fly the big yellow craft meant this wasn't about to be a complete and utter shit show. She could just imagine the firing deaths that would await if they had to figure out how to fly right then and there causing a shudder as she tried to push that out of her head. 

 

\------

 

After going through a slight test while in the air as per Nick's instruction; destroying a couple of silos, fuel tanks, and other aircraft along their way, they began their descent onto Rye and Son's airstrip. Nick had come out practically cheering and jumping with joy that his beloved plane was back once again, and neither of the siblings could hold in a laugh.

 

"Nick, You can't be serious about leaving?" Noah asked as he hopped down from the plane, Rook walking around to lean on one of the crates nearby as she listened.

 

"Yeah Noah, we're leaving." Nick said as he finished his inspection of the plane to make sure the Peggies didn't fuck with it. With a sigh, Noah shook his head but knew better than to try and convince his friend to stay and to remind him that they needed him.

 

 "Kim! Come on the plane's back let's go. " Nick yelled back to his wife in the house behind them. "Will you go help her?" he asked of Rook who was more than glad to let the two men get the plane ready alone, knowing how her brother was probably upset his bromance was essentially ending.

 

To be honest, she didn't like the idea of the Rye's leaving either but wanted what was best for that little baby of theirs…the Resistance had other pilots and Noah was getting pretty good in a plane, they would make it work somehow. Making her way into the house she saw Kim trying to carry a big suitcase down the stairs, hurrying in to help her.

 

"Hey now, you shouldn't be trying to lug these things around." She told her.

 

"Well seeing as how convinced Nick is with leaving I have to. " The woman sounded disappointed as she looked around her own living room as if trying to memorize it.

 

"Kim…Do you even want to leave?" Rook asked as she set the suitcases down. While her brother had grown close to Nick during his time before the 'Reaping' began, Rook had become close to Kim since the minute they met afterward.

 

"Tell Nick how you feel, this is your guy's home, after all, Rye and Son's Aviation has been around for generations. " She felt like she was almost pleading for them to stay but the look in Kim's eyes told her she didn't need to.

 

"Look I…" she began before they heard the squeal of tires coming towards them.

 

"Peggies." Rook said as she looked back to Kim.

 

"Nick!! " Kim yelled out only for him to reply telling her to hurry; the look on her face said enough about her annoyance. "Nick the Peggies are here!" 

 

As she could hear within moments the men both yelling 'Oorah' to each other as Nick's plane flew into the air, she turned to Kim and told her to run up to her bathroom and barricade the door shut and not to come back until they came for her. Taking a deep breath she grabbed her 1911 from her hip hiding just up the stairs and peeking around the corner to the front door. She would have to think fast and move even faster to protect her friend and godchild.

 

She watched as three cultists walked inside the home, one walking into to the kitchen, one looking at all the items in the living room like he was making an inventory and one was headed right for her. She moved back into the dark corner away from the top of the stairs, grabbing her knife in one hand and her pistol in the other bracing herself.

 

As soon as the man made it to the top of the stairs she was behind him, slicing his throat with her hand over his lips to keep him quiet, turning and firing her first shot into the head of the Peggie who was currently trying to open one of the suitcases. Hopping over the banister right into a forward roll she turned resting down on her knee as she shot the last man right in center mass, causing him to fall into the refrigerator.

 

With a few heavy breaths, she centered herself, grabbing for her 45/70 off of her back moving to take cover just below the window. Two more full trucks came barreling up to the house, Peggies yelling out both commands 'To find the Sinners'  and how it all was for the Father. Rook peaked out the window aiming her rifle beginning to open fire onto the group, trying to fire as accurately as she could making her way out the door onto the porch.

 

"More coming down the airstrip!" She could hear her brother yell out into the radio. She had to hurry with clearing the house, she could hear the yells and amount of vehicles heading his way. 

 

"Rook! Get the fuck over here I'm pinned in the hanger!" Noah yelled as he sat behind the bar reloading his rifle.

 

"Snipers on the roof. I'm gonna strafe him!" she heard Nick call out on the radio as his plane began to fly lower above them.

 

She began to run, shooting the last couple of cultists by the house making sure no more were heading her way, reloading her gun as she neared the back of the hanger.

 

"Noah can you tell how many or where? Stay put I'm coming in hot." she radioed over, listening as her brother tried to give her an as accurate description of where they were and that he was behind the bar.

 

She ran as fast as she could towards the hanger, seeing Boomer taking down one of the straggling Peggies who had gotten too far from their group. Sliding around the side of the hanger aiming down at the group of men trying to open fire on her brother.

 

"Surprise mother fuckers!" She yelled as she began shooting rapidly at them, her brother popping out from his position to help. They continued to fight the incoming incursion of cultists for the next hour, feeling as if they were never going to let up.

 

"I'm low." She said looking over to her brother who was on the other side of the roof. "There can't be that much more."

 

Noah shrugged, throwing a piece of dynamite in the direction of an oncoming truck.

 

"Fall back! Run!" she could hear the fading numbers of Peggies begin to yell. She was breathing heavily, covered in blood and sweat as she looked on in disbelief.

 

"They're leaving. Let them go." She said with a hand outstretched to her brother, standing up hitting the button on her radio. "Nick, it's safe to land."

 

Once Nick landed the plane, parked it in the hanger and they turned it around once again the group all made their way into the house.

 

"Kim, they're gone," Rook said as she went back up the stairs knocking on the door twice, Nick and Noah following close behind into the house.

 

"Kim we have to go now. " Nick said in a stressed tone as he began grabbing suitcases. At this moment finally, Rook agreed with him, if the Peggies came on that hard now there was no telling how hard they would come back for them next time. Noah was out on the porch getting ready to bring their luggage to the plane and Rook was taking another bag for Nick when they all were stopped in their tracks by Kim almost fighting Nick not to grab another bag.

 

"No Nick. This is our home…." She pleaded to him, all of them picking their jaws off the floor hearing Kim say that. Had what Rook said earlier really stuck to her? How could it be safe to stay after what happened just a few minutes ago? The siblings watched on as Kim explained to Nick why they had to say, both chuckling to each other at Nick still calling their baby girl a boy stating that ultrasounds can't be that accurate. After a few minutes, the couple turned to them holding each other's hands, both Rook and Noah stepping into the house from the porch.

 

"So…you're staying?" Noah asked hopefully.

 

"We're staying Partner and that means I am going to be your man in the skies." Nick answered as they fist bumped giving one of their classic 'Oorahs'. Rook just hugged Kim in relief but also feeling fear deep inside, praying the cult didn't try coming back for them again.


	9. Some Kind Of Wonderful

It had been a few days since the events with the Rye's, the siblings staying in the area for the first two before moving out to other areas of the region their radios becoming busy again with the chatter of amped-up cultist activity. The two of them had decided to leave Boomer with Kim for a while, he would be good company while Nick was out and could protect her if any trouble came along. On the plus side, Boomer would always love cuddling up to her belly and they both couldn't help but think how loving and protective he will be of the little one when she arrives.

"When did everything in this world get so damn complicated…" Rook stated, half asking…half making a joke.

It had been a long day of scouting which mainly meant walking long distances, climbing her ass up into a tree or onto a ledge…if she was lucky she could find a nice comfortable hunter's nest. Unfortunately, this was not one of those lucky times, however with the number of splinters she had in her ass while they sat in this tree made her wish they were luckier.

"Hell if I know. Remember when our biggest worry was sneaking back into the house after breaking curfew?" His voice was sarcastic but a lot softer than she had been used to it being in the recent weeks. He was sitting just to her left a couple of branches down, not moving from scanning the valley with his sniper rifle.

She couldn't help but return his light-hearted chuckle as she plopped another piece of jerky in her mouth before pulling out her binoculars. It was nearing sundown which meant Peggie activity would decrease for the night leaving it easier to clear out the Kellett Cattle Company outpost in front of them. 

"Or when you were trying to figure out how in the world you were going to convince Whitehorse he needed to requisition more donuts for the morning briefing." She looked down at her brother who had a scowl on his face.

Their light-hearted teasing came to an end as they watched a party of cultists leave the outpost in front of them, both siblings scanning to see how many stayed behind, where they were and how many alarms they needed to disable knowing the party who had just left would most likely arrive quickly if the alarms were hit.

"How we doin' this?" She heard her brother whisper up to her.

"Some Kind of Wonderful… I'll take care of the alarm and the snipers. You start taking out the men on the ground near that gate" She quickly grabbed her iPod she managed to wire into her radio getting the song queued up as her brother climbed quietly down the tree making his way into position.

Ensuring she was stable on the branch she was perched from and her brother was in position, Rook hit play on the song as she pulled her silenced MBP .50 caliber sniper rifle from her back, aiming down the sights right to the alarm box. With a slow deep breath squeezing the trigger as soon as the first verse began hitting the control box of the alarm disabling the system. Moving on every downbeat to a new target she took out the snipers stationed on the roofs of the buildings, the upbeats she smirked noticing her brother would take out the ones wandering the property. By the time the chorus came along the second time, she shot her final bullet right into the back of the Peggie trying to come behind her brother. 

"She's some kind of wonderful!" he turned and sang to his sister, the two of them laughing as they attached their weapons to the proper holster. In the beginning of all this the thought of killing along to a classic rock song would seem absolutely twisted to her; honestly, it probably was, but it was how she could keep her mind calm as she had to end countless lives in fast succession. Rook wasn't born to be a killer, but the moment the Father began his Reaping and captured her friends he had turned her into one.

Each of the siblings went to a different building on the property, clearing room by room to make sure no remaining Peggies remained within and releasing any of the captives they had waiting for transport before moving on to find any intel that may have been left behind.

"I have the location of a couple of silos filled with that fertilizer, as well as the route of the drug trucks running through the entire county." She said as she walked into the house where her brother was once again giving Pastor Jerome the good news they had taken another outpost from the cult. Her brother nodded as he listened to the new updates on activity from Jerome as she sat the maps in front of him, walking back outside to wait for the Resistance members to arrive.

It was one of those rare moments she was allowed to herself alone with her thoughts, the warm sun shining down on her as she grabbed an apple from a crate as she plopped down onto the steps. She found herself once again starting to think about the dream she had the other night…the dream she had repeat twice since then and now kept her from falling asleep. It wasn't the pain of the knife in her leg and reliving it all again that frightened her, she had come to expect John to be sick and sadistic. It was that moment he suddenly turned kind to her, telling of the Father's vision of his death as he tended to the wound he created.  Each time she dreamt it slight things would change, sometimes she never was in the Ranch, sometimes she never went to the bunker…. The last time before John ever attempted to lean into her he confessed his fear that his brother is right.

She sighed softly as she took a bite from her apple giving a half wave as a truck of Resistance members arriving to begin stripping clean the cult's influence on the property to be replaced by their own. She felt herself even watching and offering passing small talk to them, slipping back into thinking of when she heard the voicemail with her own ears at the Ranch after the first dream of John. She remembered as the chill shot through her entire body as she listened to it, feeling as if Joseph's voice on the machine was fading away as she tried to decipher what was going on.

She only came out of being lost in her thoughts as her brother's heavy boots walked behind her and he began giving her the run down of what Jerome had clued him in on. Mainly was the cult activity picking up in specific areas, word of a missing group of people near their location they should check up on, and that they heard rumors John was preparing to try and capture both the Deputies soon.

Sighing heavily she stood up tossing her apple towards the nearby pigpen looking at her brother. "Let him come. I honestly have some questions for him…and for Joseph Seed. " she said looking very seriously at her brother.

"You actually **_want_** to get caught?!" He asked in an alarmed tone, Rook only raised her hand and stepped towards him.

"Look, Joey is still missing and last we heard was that John had her. The only way to figure out where he has her is to get in close…allowing him to grab us is the only thing I can think of." She truly believed it would be, she remembered not having time to look on her own the last time she was in the massive bunker, and that as long as John was kept busy the other would be able to find a way out and get to Joey.

"I have an idea but you are going to have to trust me on this one. No trying to fight me on this and you cannot…I mean you really can **_NOT_**  let John get under your skin." She squeezed her brother's bicep as she finished that, letting him know she was completely serious on the matter at hand.

With that, any argument Noah had for the whole thing was out the window. He knew better than to try to convince his sister that going this route was stupid and reckless, knowing this time she wouldn't go without a full plan in place.

 "Show me what you have in mind," he said as he moved his hands up slightly as if a sign of defeat. For now, he would listen to whatever she came up with as long as he needed to figure out a better one, the last thing he wanted was the Baptist getting his hands on his sister again.

They both turned and walked back into the house sitting down at the kitchen table, grabbing the bit of intel they gathered the last couple days and their map out laying it all onto the table. She was confident this would work, and if it didn't she knew if it went well enough to where John would put Noah into the cell and focus on her, that one of them could get out and come back with the damn cavalry if they had to…and that person had to be Noah.


	10. Prepare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: This chapter depicts nudity and some sexual undertones.

They both stayed up all night going over and refining the plan of how they were going to essentially infiltrate John's bunker. In truth they had no chance in hell getting inside without the key John kept around his neck, and that until they knew exactly where Hudson or any of the other prisoners were it would be a suicide mission for everyone.

"You're sure about this?" Noah asked his sister as she put some of their possessions into the safe.

"Yes for the 100th time, I'm sure Noah.  Do you see any other way of us finding where she is and getting the answers we need from John?" She asked a bit annoyed at the fact he kept bugging her on the topic.

"You mean the answers _you want_ from John." He said as he crossed his arms. Noah was clearly annoyed and not at ease with the whole get yourselves captured to save Rook's partner idea but if it was Pratt he would ask her to do the same thing.  Standing up she practically slammed the safe door closed glaring at her brother.

"I told you that if this is going to work you have to follow my lead and the plan _exactly._ As for me wanting answers Noah, if you were in my shoes you would want them too. There is something crazy happening in this county beyond the fact a doomsday cult is kidnapping and killing everyone and you know it!" She didn't even give her brother a chance to reply as she pushed past him, finishing putting her bare necessities into her pack and loading her pistol.

 

The first two places they picked to try and start the execution of their plan turned to be absolute busts. The intel she had on the patrols were older than she originally thought they were and so they found themselves walking through the woods of northern Holland Valley. When after four hours they found nothing to give them any inkling on any patrols the twins decided it was time to split up to comb through the surrounding 10-mile radius of woods. They didn't bring any food with them thinking this would happen fast by the angry videos they had already seen and the radio broadcasts of John calling for them to be found and brought to him.

Noah would be heading north up towards the incline of the hillside they were on to start looking for deer or other animals to hunt along with being on his own scouting mission, while Rook would make her way south to find shelter and her personal mission to find an area the creak was deep enough to bathe regrettably the outpost did not have running water.  After making sure they both understood the new plan;  Noah stated planned to hunt as long as he needed to cover his part of the area and find dinner, and that Rook planned to bathe in a general area and her brother better not around there, they both set off on their own way. Deciding on how to alert each other if they happened around a patrol would be to shoot three times quickly into the air with their pistols and how Rook would direct her brother to their shelter using a symbol into the trees only they would recognize, they had their work cut out for them.

 

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Noah loved times he would be able to go hunting finding a strange peace to the whole routine and if he had any chance of keeping his cool around John Seed he needed to first find his center. Any time he thought of how his sister was on her own dealing with him last time and the simple fact he had nearly killed her by stupidly stabbing her in the leg he would feel the rage begin burning deep inside of him. He remembered it taking all he had not to take the shot when John showed up at the Ranch as they prepared to descend onto it, and how every day since he'd wish he had. Noah had learned years ago to trust his sister's gut and that in the heat of the moment she was always the best under pressure, always able to come up with a plan that typically ended in success. 

He climbed up over the top of the hill and began looking around the small plain before him, slowly moving until he could begin to scan the forest below. It was time to become lost in his task, to find tracks of either deer or some other kind of animal, or for a Peggie patrol…He was unsure which he was more excited to run into.

While walking through the woods she found several possibly suitable areas where they could easily build a shelter for the night that would be suitable. However, keeping in mind their plans she wanted to find something a bit more obvious…somewhere even the moronic cultists would think to check if anyone was inside. She didn't feel a shelter in the trees using part of the ones who stood already or the brush and branches to create one was something that would click in their thick skulls as a possible place to check…but she remembered that for when she didn't want to be seen.

 

\---------

 

Just as she came out of the tree line and into the brush she could see the roof of what appeared to be a small shack, figuring that would be suitable enough.  As she walked just a few more steps she could see that behind the tool shack was a house.

" _Perfect_." she thought to herself as she made her way towards the house, keeping alert as she looked around making sure no one was inside. First clearing the shack she then went through the home seeing it abandoned and ransacked, the previous occupant dead in one of the bedrooms.

Sighing softly she began to clean up, first ensuring the man's body was buried properly behind his home; if he was the original occupant or a recent squatter she had no idea. When she finished she began to clean up enough of the blood so it wasn't a slip hazard, moving some furniture around to make adequate sleeping quarters for both of them throwing anything they did not need into a pile in front. Finding a stash of preserves and a key into a bunker; though reading the note attached out front she didn't want to go check that out any time soon, a change of clothes and even a set of semi-clean towels she felt this was a good place to stay until their plan was able to continue forward.

She set out to go mark the final trees and a spot on the ground just passed the house; she had stopped marking before she came to the tree as she wasn't positive which direction a shelter may have gone from that point. Once that task was done she took just her knife and pistol, a change of clothes, towel and a bar of soap heading down to the water nearby in the area she told her brother not to go into.


	11. Amazing Grace

As always she made sure no one was around and moved just barely past the dock and into some tree cover, setting down her things and undressing. First stepping into the cold water she could not help but gasp, smiling as she moved deeper until the water went up just passed her waist and under her chest. Moving her hands over the surface of the water she closed her eyes, taking this moment to find peace within all the madness the rest of her days always held. Allowing the cool water soothe her sore muscles and cool her body from the Montana summer heat.

 

Steading her feet she knelt down so her entire body was submerged, standing up out of the water with her hair still under, using her fingers to help rinse some of the dirt, grime and blood from her chocolate locks. Standing up the rest of the way her hair would move up and back slapping softly against her back, using her hands to smooth the water away from her face.  Feeling the sun that was peeking through the trees on her face she was unable to stop a song that she herself had not sung or hummed and detested to try to hear in four years. At this moment it began to move through her in a soft harmonic humming only sparingly singing the words here and there.

 

"Amazing Grace….How sweet the sound…" She sang as she grabbed the soap and began to cleanse her own body. First, she moved over her arms, then her shoulders and to the side of her neck… then over her upper chest before massaging the suds gently onto her supple breasts. Again she closed her eyes as she continued to massage the soap over her body, both cleaning the physical outcome of her fights and adventures and easing her aching body and clean her wounds all while washing some of the thoughts that were weighing her down. The world around her began to melt away, something she knew was dangerous but still allowed herself to enjoy if things went to plan she may not get to enjoy a moment like this for a very long time.

 

"I once was lost….but now I'm found…" she sang softly as she began to wash the soap and all that came with it from her. Once again she knelt down to submerge herself in the water, only to come up quickly and begin searching the tree line…freezing in place as she saw who stood before her.

 

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He was fighting a losing battle when it came to his younger brother and trying to convince him to hold back from allowing his sin to take over him. He began coming to watch confessions multiple times a week, trying to hold is tongue as he watched his brother work and it was quickly weighing heavily onto his own soul. He would dream often of his brother's death, its manner, and his age forever changing but lately, it was staying more stagnate.

 

"You have to love them John…" were words he would repeat frequently to his brother. He began stepping in sooner no longer able to hold back his disappointment in his brother's actions. Confessions must be made honestly and even the chance to reach working towards Atonement earned, however, John was beginning to lose control. When his brother was not asking for Confession he began to interrogate those being kept at his gate for information on the Deputies becoming obsessed in their capture.

 

Today was no different than any other, however the weight of watching his brother was becoming heavier. He remembered what it was like trying to help him ride out the withdrawal from the various drugs he had become addicted to. He remembered helping him learn that not all things must be said Yes to and how he could channel his energy into helping save the people and welcome them into his flock. 

 

He needed time to think and pray, he had hoped the Voice would come to him with knowledge on how he could somehow save his brother even with knowing his death was required for the Collapse to come. Dismissing his usual armed guards Joseph walked down into the woods just off of John's Gate, walking until the sounds coming from the bunker faded away into nothingness, hearing only the sound of wildlife and the wind moving through the trees. Closing his eyes he would reach up towards the sky as he began his prayer for guidance; tears flowing from his eyes as he prayed to have the strength to either save John or allow him to fall when he began hearing a soft but beautiful voice be carried on the wind to his ears.

 

Slowly he opened his eyes and looked around him, smiling as he began to follow the voice wondering who's angelic voice was coming to him in his time of need. He hurried through the trees, occasionally bracing onto one to step over fallen branches towards where he believed the answers to his prayers would be. Hearing the sound of water he came around the final tree, freezing as he saw the woman who was standing in the water.

 

He swallowed hard as he studied her face, his eyes moving to examine her body in its most natural state fighting back a smile and lustful thoughts that began to enter into his mind. Hearing her begin another verse pausing to begin rinsing herself off he stepped fully into view from the trees, the sun shining down onto his form. The small amount of sweat beading on his brow and over his muscular chest glistened, the beams of light bouncing from his yellow aviators as he began to sing, picking up the song where she had left off.

 

"T'was blind but now I see…" he sang back to her, standing on the other bank of the creek  moving to clasp one hand in front of the other. He would give her a partial smile as he took one step forward, she quickly tried to move back using one arm to cover herself; remembering she was absolutely and completely naked in the water and had no weapon, he would move his hands out to show they were empty besides the rosary he had wrapped around his wrist and hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, who is reading! I am loving this journey I am taking while writing just as much as I hope you all enjoy reading it! You can follow me on Tumblr and Instagram xxrockerangelxx for updates, random Seed or universe posts and more! Stay up to date, get sneak peeks and participate in Q&A weekly!


	12. Curiosity

"I mean you no harm Deputy. I did not know it was you singing." He spoke with the same calmness she had seen from him the night John had taken them to perform the 'Cleansing'.

She took a deep breath trying to calm her heart and clear her mind, staring straight back at the man standing in front of him, again giving the same intense stare back to her like the first night they had met. She didn't know what to say first, or where to move, so many things crossing her mind in those few seconds of silence from why he was out here, what he was planning to do at that moment…or if he would really come out into the woods completely unarmed; she didn't linger there she was stupid enough to leave her weapons out of arms reach.

"Joseph." was all she could say, moving her arms to cross over her chest, some of her long locks helping conceal her body and the water obscure her bottom half. 

The Father himself was standing at the edge of the water looking back down at her but he had stopped looking at her naked figure and fought to show any indication of his previous lustful thoughts. Rook knew he was known for keeping his composure, seeing it herself the two other times she encountered him. Slowly Joseph began to walk into the water at first towards her keeping his distance at first with his hands still being held out in a peaceful fashion. As he moved towards her, she felt that familiar chill shoot down her spine…not only was she nude,  her gun and her chance of alerting her brother or defending herself sat upon the rock at the water's edge.

She could feel herself hold her breath as he reached where she left the belongings she brought down with her, reaching his hand down towards the neat pile. She could try to dart out of the water and wrestle him for the gun but it was more likely she would not be able to move faster than he could grab it and shoot her. For now, she had to remain calm and use her words to get out of whatever this was.

To her surprise Joseph had not grabbed her gun or her knife, but instead one of the blue cloth towels that sat beside them moving so he was only an arm's reach away from her, opening the towel and blocking some of her body from view. Raising an eyebrow she reached out grabbing the towel from him and stepping back away and over from him so she could wrap it around herself while she walked out of the water. She rounded over to her things; deciding that because he had not grabbed her gun when he had the chance she did not need to grab it now, beginning to put on her jeans on, then putting the button up flannel using the towel to cover her undressed body until each garment was pulled on.

"What do you want…" She asked tossing the towel to the side staring him down once more.

"I heard you singing  as I walked." He said, giving no explanation of why he was even in Holland Valley and not at his compound in the first place or why he was walking around the woods.

"It was so… _angelic_." He almost smiled as he called her voice angelic, hovering on that word as if he was remembering his fondest memory as he looked to the distance his eyes moving back to gaze into hers.  "I decided I must search the source thinking perhaps was one of my flock. To my surprise it was you."

"Your little cult doesn't own Amazing Grace Joseph. " She crossed her arms and shifted her weight as she looked at him still partially standing in the creek not moving since he gave her the towel.

"It so happens, my grandmother used to sing it to me when I was young. Any time I was scared or sick….at night when I awoke from a bad dream. " She stopped realizing she was giving information freely he did not need to hear, causing her to clear her throat.

"Anyways…I kind of just started without realizing I guess. It was a stupid mistake and clearly, I was louder than I thought I was, seeing as you are standing here. " One hand moved from crossing under her breasts as she motioned her hand in his direction. As much as she tried to give him a cold and annoyed look and to project it in her voice in all honesty, she was flattered by the whole ordeal and surprised that Joseph Seed a man who was constantly painted as a soulless monster actually held almost childlike curiosity in following her voice.

"As I said I mean you no harm. When I leave here I will not tell my brother you are here. I must warn you, that you and your brother have angered him and he searches for you even now." He began to walk out of the water towards her again her eyebrow-raising in surprise at his words.

 _"Why wouldn't he tell his brother where she is? Doesn't he want the Resistance stopped and even told John to ensure she and her brother reached Atonement?"_ she asked herself standing her ground as the cult leader grew closer.

"I want _you_ to reach your Atonement, Deputy, but as I have warned my brother his forceful and brutish ways of doing so is not how it should be done." She moved to lean back and rest partly on one of the larger boulders as she listened to him causing some more distance once again between the two she could smell his scent…not of cologne but of…Sandalwood?

"I thought that to truly confess your sins you had to experience some pain." She said curtly.

"It is true that struggle, pain and breaking down all barriers is how one truly paves the way to their Atonement. However, love must be shown throughout the process." His voice was smooth like honey as he talked about how he wished it would be, moving to stand directly in front o her, his voice becoming a whisper as his eyes stared deeply into hers.

"I have a question for you _Deputy."_ he stated, clearing his throat and using an almost annoyed tone when he said 'Deputy.'

"And that is..?" She asked turning towards him resting one hand on the bolder the other at her side. She was not uncomfortable by the closed distance; it wasn't the first time the Father had broken her personal bubble, and the longer they talked she believed he meant that he would not harm her.

"Your name." He said as his eyes once again fell upon hers, causing Rook to smirk as her eyes met his.

"That is not a question Joseph." She joked, always enjoying even the smallest bit of sarcasm she could use and just for a second she could swear he had a flash of annoyance in his eyes.

"What is your name?" His tone was still the near soothing one it always was but strong in a way she suddenly felt not to make him ask again.

"Rebecca." she answered. "My name…is Rebecca." She answered, finding her voice soften and her eyes looking into his.

"Rebecca..." he said with a smile, moving closer to her and taking one of her hands gently into his, his gaze becoming softer as she started to become lost within it. Just as he was about to speak again he stopped, acting as if he just heard something or someone in the distance.

"It seems I have been gone long enough." he sighed. "I will be seeing you soon I am sure. Goodnight… _Rebecca"._ With that he gave her hand a simple squeeze, allowing his eyes to stay locked in her gaze a moment longer before letting go and turning to disappear back into the trees in the direction he came.

 

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 _What…just happened?_ She asked herself as she grabbed the rest of her things, slipping into her boots and making her way back to the house. To her surprise, Noah was sitting next to a fire with a mostly butchered deer carcass beside him. At least he was successful and even seemed happier after spending a couple of hours hunting…and she was not about to end that. No one could know what just happened, especially when she wasn't convinced she somehow ended up bathing in Bliss water and hallucinated the same thing. They may not be in the Henbane river region where the Bliss was out of control but they were close to John's bunker…for all she knew this area could be a bit contaminated as well. 

"I'm going to go change, better save me some of that liver." She said as she walked past her brother not even stopping so he could say a word or ask her anything. Heading straight into the room she chose for herself and closing the door, she kicked off her boots, stripped out of the slightly damp clothes on her body, grabbing yet another complete outfit to change into. Sitting onto the bed as she started putting on a pair of socks she tried to piece together all that had happened with Joseph Seed, realizing that her vision didn't have stars spotting in it and her brain wasn't at all fuzzy meaning it had actually happened.

 _What is that side of him…?_ She felt herself asking. It was like he was in that voicemail to John even when he mentioned that his brother would get ahold of them sooner than later he seemed worried…not about John but for _her_. Shaking her head she tried to use her fingers to comb through her hair well enough to throw her locks back into a ponytail; all but her bangs pulled back and away from her face.

"Becks! Are you going to come and eat or what?" Her brother yelled from outside bringing her back to reality. Tying the laces of her boots quickly she placed her radio, 1911 and combat knives in their proper places and hurried out to her brother grabbing a jar of canned food from the kitchen.

Handing the jar to her brother so he could open the impossibly tightly sealed jar, sitting down onto the ground in front of the fire, resting her arms over her legs as she watched the flames. The two of them stayed quiet for the next few minutes as Noah finished cooking up their food, divvying portions onto two plates and cracking them each open a cold beer he found in the fridge. By the time they both finished eating Noah was annoyed with the silence and the strange way his sister was behaving.

"Did something happen when you were at the creek Beck?" He asked tossing his empty paper plate into the fire. "I mean you were fine when I last saw you and now you've been acting like you saw a ghost."

Taking a deep breath she looked at her brother downing the last of her beer before speaking. "Just thinking really." She looked down at her empty bottle, rubbing her thumb over the label slowly making it come off a thing she only did when something was truly weighing on her mind.

"Rebecca, I know you better than anyone. What happened out there?" Noah said as he moved to sit next to his sister causing her to shift slightly away. How could she tell him that the Father had come across her in the woods, in general, let alone her state of undress and she was unarmed? How could she explain the complexity of confusion and mix of emotions that were stirring in her as she tried to understand it all? She knew if he found out about it, what his reaction would be and that any chance they had in their current plans would be squashed.

"Just thinking back to my dream…and when we heard that voicemail." She answered him. In truth, it was constantly in the back of her mind that now had been taken over by her encounter with Joseph. Looking over to her brother she began to hope with all of her soul he would believe this answer and not think she was covering up something because he was right when he said he knew her better than anyone.

"I told you I need answers to _everything_ Noah. If I can get them, maybe my mind will finally shut the fuck up." She scoffed as she looked back to the fire.

"And if we can find Hudson at the same time that is even better…"She stood to her feet tossing the now label-less bottle to the side. She hated how the forefront of her mind was getting her own answers when her partner and close friend was imprisoned by John, but if she did not get some answers she could never focus on saving anyone.

"Okay." Just one word came from her brother, but it meant so much to her. Noah stood walking over to his sister.  "I am sorry I fought on this plan but you are right. This is the only way to find Hudson and figure out how exactly to get her or anyone else that sick psychopath has taken."

Relief washed over her and she could not help but hug her brother tightly. "Thank you for trusting me, Noah." She whispered in his ear.

"I have _faith_ in you Beck. If anyone can figure it all out it's you. You're right. There is more going on in this county than we originally thought." He hugged her back tightly kissing the side of her head.

"But if any of them harm you again, I _will_ kill them all without a second thought." His voice had become almost a growl as he squeezed his sister once more almost too tightly, and all she could do was sigh.

"I am going to get hurt, Noah. I have to in some ways for any of this to work especially if John is involved you know that." She pulled away and looked to her brothers emerald eyes seeing the rage building inside of him.

"Promise me you will not lose your head. I'm stronger than you think and I can handle anything the Seeds or their Peggies throw at us." She ruffled her brother's hair and smiled walking towards the house leaving him alone with his thoughts.


	13. Captured

While Rebecca went inside the house taking more of a detailed inventory of the supplies inside, Noah made his way down into the bunker below a small shed just off the house. Finding a note just inside that portrayed worry by the writer to the amount of electricity inside to protect their stash he decided to not try to hit the switch to get into the locked room; instead of searching the other areas of the small bunker for useful supplies.

Twenty minutes later he emerged with a full pack of supplies, even managing to find a couple more radios and an old military computer. Walking into the house he found his sister sitting on the couch staring at a tv which played the video of John Seed with Hudson taunting him and stating what was coming for Holland Valley.

"Watching that shit again? It's going to drive you mad Beck." He said as he walked over and shut the television off. Turning back around he saw the blank expression on her face as she twirled her knife lightly over the same leg John had stabbed her in;  just a scar showing the only evidence of her time with him now.

"Look, I found a lot of shit down in that bunker including this computer. I can't for the life of me to get it to work but you've always been the tech wiz. Think you can figure something out with it?"  He raised the laptop up slightly for her to see before setting it down on the table. Standing to her feet she walked over to the table, opening the computer as she set her foot up on a chair, placing her knife back on its sheath around her ankle, pulling her jeans over to cover it. After a few moments of silence as she looked over the computer she scoffed shaking her head.

"This is an old fucking model…but I may just get it to work. We still will not be able to contact anyone out of the valley. However, we may be able to hack into Peggie's coms or any systems they may have. If not…we will at least be able to work with Dutch and get his camera feeds on here." She turned to her brother with a half smile.

She knew already that there would be nothing on the cult's side worth using but it may be a way to contact the Seeds and draw them out if they needed it. Secretly she thought how if she could get the dinosaur of a computer to work she would be able to ask the real questions she had but these were for Joseph himself.

"How long would it take?" Noah asked crossing his arms looking at his sister.

"I don't have any of the things I would need to do it. Tool wise or components." She reached back and closed the laptop.

"I can make a rough list but…some of these things we may only find in those bunkers the Peggies have. Good thing we already have plans to get inside…" For once several things were lining up to where they could accomplish them without changing much of their plans.

"Get me the list…Tomorrow we will move forward with the plan. As I find Hudson and the other prisoners, I will gather the supplies we need from the bunker." For the first time, Rebecca really believed her brother was fully on board with their possibly suicidal plan to be purposely captured by John.

They wouldn't sleep tonight, there was much work to do and slight refining of their plans. Tomorrow they were going to be face to face with John Seed one way or another and it wasn't going to be pretty.

 

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They made sure to safely stash all of their important gear along with the laptop in a safe they placed under the house, as well as made repairs on the jeep parked outside so they could make their get away from there. The siblings left with only their pistols and a knife each, one medkit and their radios, there wasn't going to be a need to have a huge fight this time just enough to make it believable to any possible Resistance that may see them be captured. Noah had already let Jerome know that in the event they are nabbed not to interrupt their transport to John's bunker telling him only it was their chance to find exactly where Hudson and other prisoners were kept so they all could return and liberate them, the Resistance members could not have any reason to think their leaders would betray them or all hope would be lost. 

Looking back one final time then to each other, they both took a large breath and began walking towards the main road that would eventually lead to John's bunker. Any hesitation either of them had the day before had been squashed, both knowing and memorizing their own tasks and every step of the plan completely. After agreeing that if she did not meet him back at the house within 2 hours of him triggering the alarm he was to wait for her at US Auto. Rebecca promising that she would be there and giving him some comfort that if she had not in two days time he could bring on the heat to John in order to rescue her.

It only took about thirty minutes to reach the main road, and not long after they heard the sound of trucks playing Peggie Radio rushing towards them. Again the twins looked to each other taking a deep breath, reached for their pistols and stepped fully into the cultists paths, aiming their guns right at them.

"This has to work." Noah said as he prepared to squeeze the trigger.

"It will." Rebecca replied as she fired her weapon.

It happened much quicker than the last time she had been captured. Not because they were not fighting as hard as she did previously but because unbeknownst to her they were seen as they neared the road causing a plethora of cultists to flood down on them almost as soon as their first shots rang out. Her brother faced towards the trucks coming towards them; firing frantically as he began to fear they never intended to take them alive again, Rebecca turning to the groups coming from the woods by foot; fearing the same thing as her brother. A loud shot as if from a sniper rifle rang out, her brother gasping as he stumbled back looking down at his stomach. Before she could react and try to pull him away from the road another shot rang loudly into her ear and pain radiated out from her shoulder. 

Grasping onto one another feeling their heads begin to cloud and their sight dotted with fireflies, unable to speak as they knew what was happening. They were each shot with a bliss bullet and soon they would be waking up inside John's bunker.


	14. Mistakes

Her vision would blur in and out as she fought to remain conscious and not fall into a bliss-induced sleep. The cultists surrounding them….one group taking her, the other her brother…hearing her brother yell out…and then darkness.

"We should have just killed them. They are not worthy of Atonement." she heard a man's voice say.

"That is not the will of the Father. " Another replied. She could barely see her vision mostly blurred and the light above her causing a halo effect.

"Take them to John. He is ready to hear their Confessions." another voice echoed out as her vision became dark once more, fear moving through her as she could not tell if her brother was still with her or was taken elsewhere.

Again she started to hear sounds…muffled voices and was that a scream? She willed her mind to clear and her eyes to open, feeling as if she was trapped inside her own body. More screams in the distance… the sounds of items clattering as they were set down onto something metal…then she could feel the rough fibers of a rope touching her skin knowing her arms and legs were being restrained, slowly each of her senses was coming awake. It had worked…she was inside John's bunker, the familiar stench of a 'confession' room coming across her nostrils along with the sound of boots walking onto the concrete floor.

"You son of a bitch…" She knew that voice… it was Noah! From what she could tell he was seated to her left. The sounds of muffled screams returned but these were closer…they were inside the room.

" _Fucking eyes, work!"_ she thought to herself as she fought for her eyes to open. Slowly they began to part, but all she could see was lights and colors no shapes or anything to help her know what was happening.  The sound of a tongue clicking in his mouth like a mother about to scold her children came first as the boots came closer.

"Now Noah…is that a glimpse at what one of your _sins_ will be?" She knew that voice…she knew that hiss used in his tone. Blinking hard her vision began to clear as she heard the loud smack of a hand making contact with the side of someone's head. She looked up to see John straighten his jacket and turn to her.

"Ah…finally you are awake, " he said as he clasps his hands together.

"John," Rebecca said as she once again stared the man down, her fists clenching around the arm of the metal chair…this time it didn't have wheels that helped in her last escape; seemed he was capable of learning things.

Her eyes moved past him seeing who had been making the muffled screams before. The woman's face stained with her tears and the mascara that ran long ago, her body appearing beaten and sweaty and like she had barely eaten in weeks.

"Joey…" She said in almost disbelief.

"Ah! It is so good to know you have not forgotten about your one-time partner, Deputy." John said as he clapped his hands loudly together causing Hudson to jump and Rebecca to dart her glare back to him. "In that case, we do not need to give introductions."

"Let them go. I'm the one you really want, so take it out on me and let them go you sick son of a bitch." Her brother spat angerly at John. She wanted to look at her brother but the reaction she could see on John's face had her unable to look away. Again he clicked his tongue, moving over to his tool bench and picking up a crowbar, pausing a moment as he patted the tool in his other hand.

"I was hoping we would be making it much simpler this go around…" the Baptist spoke as he turned around on his heel, hitting his own hand a bit harder with the crowbar. With two steps forward he propelled his arm backward, then with a thrusting motion right towards Noah's knee the metal coming down with a loud crack. Her brother let out a loud growl like scream before beginning to curse the Baptist. Rebecca could only watch the two men as horror filled her, Noah was losing his head and John was not one to be tested with that.  With another backward motion of the arm holding the crowbar John swung forward this time making contact with the side of his head with a loud thump, Noah's head simply hanging down low unconscious.

"No!!!" Rebecca screamed out, her eyes moving from her seriously injured brother to John and then over to Hudson who was again screaming under her gag. Breathing heavily she tried to calm herself looking down at the ground in front of her.

"Now that the interruptions I hope are over with…" John said as he tossed the crowbar over near his workbench and darted a warning look to Rebecca. She looked over to him her wrath beginning to burn through her gaze. John would simply go grab his stool as he walked towards her.

"My parents…were the first ones to teach me the Power of _Yes_." he began saying as he sat down in front of her. Reaching forward to the table beside her, he began dabbing a rag into the bowl of water as he told her of how his parents would abuse him while forcing him to confess to his sins. He told her of when finally something inside him broke free and he had confessed to things he had never done as they continued to inflict pain upon him…ultimately ending in a fit of laughter as all he could repeat was  'Yes.' Leaning forward he tore open her flannel shirt allowing her chest and stomach to be exposed to him, her breasts only covered by a bra that was one size too small.

He paused his story as he looked over the woman examining her features, moving his rag in the water twice again as he looked her body up and down slowly. At first he was examining the perfect place to mark her Sin onto her flesh…but then something else began boiling inside of him. Time slowed for the Baptist as he sat on his wooden stool in front of the restrained woman, his eyes trailing from her midsection up her chest, over her neck and finding himself looking into her steel blue eyes. The determination and fire he had seen in her the first time she came into his brother's church still burning brightly in her eyes and for the first time he found himself noticing how beautiful she was. Taking the wet rag from the bowl he moved it over above her chest, squeezing the cloth tightly as all the excess water seeped from between his fingers and down onto her breasts, a small stream moving from between them down into her navel, a grin on his face as he followed the trail of water ignoring the fact anyone else was in the room with them.

She began to feel as if she was crawling in her skin, a chill once more coming down her spine feeling frozen in place even without her restraints. She watched as he bit the corner of his bottom lip as his eyes followed the water he dripped onto her skin. Was this _Lust_ she was seeing from the Baptist? Was his mind away from his task of pulling her Confession from her onto committing a Sin he would have to confess to himself? She tried to sit back as far as she could in her seat only for the man to grab onto her shoulder his thumb pressing into the fresh bullet wound she had forgotten about. She winced as she looked up at him breathing heavily as her hands again gripped the arms of her chair. Clearing his throat he took the rag from the bowl beginning to squeeze water over her chest before dabbing the rag along cleaning her flesh.

"After that I found myself finding more things I could say Yes to. I opened every hole in my body and when there were none….I created more." He paused again as he moved his rag slowly over her breasts in almost a caressing fashion, her eyes fixated on his as she tried to control her breathing while trying to figure out what was really happening and what it was deep inside her that was actually almost enjoying it.

"It was Joseph who showed me how _selfish_ I was being…" As he said selfish he pressed into her chest causing her to gasp. He then began washing down over her stomach as he spoke of his selfishness and how the best gift isn't the one you get but the one you give.

"But giving takes courage. The courage to own your sin…" He dropped the rag back into the bowl as he stood up walking over towards Hudson as he began punctuating his speech with his hands.

"To etch your sin onto your _flesh_ and carry its burden and when you have endured and truly begin to atone. You tear it out like cancer and display that for all to see." He gasped as if he was truly amazed by that action.  "My God…that's courage."

"So…who will be the first to go? Hmm?" He asked moving his hand onto Hudson's shoulder squeezing tightly causing her to scream again as if he was putting his thumb into a wound as he did to Rebecca earlier.

"Who will be the first to confess their sins?" He looked back over at Rebecca with a smirk as he released Hudson and took steps towards her brother.

"I know it will not be him clearly he cannot speak and he has yet….to come where he will allow himself." He smirked and chuckled before turning to her. He bent down one of his strong hands grabbing tightly against her throat as he began to squeeze.

"I will do what I have to until you _choke_ on your sins unable to breathe until you confess them to me." He squeezed harder as he spoke.

"I will take your friends and they will suffer for your choice to do _nothing._ " again there was that emphasis he had used before and another squeeze around her throat.

"Or….you can simply say one word. That is all you would need to say and they may be spared more pain than their own confessions require." He had a smug smile on his face…she so desperately wanted to tell him to go fuck himself and what she thought of his threat but the look of terror on Hudson's face and the fact her brother was unconscious beside her convinced her not to.

"Say _Yes…"_ he said as he leaned in close to her, his face dangerously near hers, his hand finally releasing its grip on her neck. Swallowing hard she looked straight into his eyes, clenching her jaw once before she opened her mouth.

"Yes…" she said in a determined yet shaken voice, the Baptist thrilled grin sickened her.

"But first I must return your friends to their cells. These are meant to be private after all." He stood up snapping his fingers twice four men hurrying inside the room immediately.

 "Take these two back to the cells I reserved for them. Two guards each and do _NOT_ take your eyes off of them or you will be needing to Atone once more." His voice was harsh and commanding, moving a hand to rest on the back of one of their heads in almost a comforting way. The men simply nodded as they grabbed Hudson and Noah, dragging them away with Hudson screaming and her brother still out cold. Rebecca began to wonder if John had killed Noah and not just knocked him out. She watched hoping John would follow them out but instead with his hand that once was on a cultist's hand raised and he laughed.

"I learned my lesson from leaving you alone Deputy…I will be right here until you have confessed all your sins to me. However long that may take." He smiled as he walked over to the workbench, Rebecca quickly trying to gather her thoughts….things were going horribly, horribly wrong and getting worse by the second.


	15. Temptations

Rage…that is all he remembered feeling before, he wanted to get out of his seat and rip out John Seed's throat and then suddenly…. nothing. He groaned softly as he moved his hand to his head, feeling a large cut over his eyebrow and sensitive areas along the entire side of his head.

" _That fucker hit me with a god damn crowbar…"_ he thought to himself as he began to open his eyes. Slowly beginning to try and stand up only to fall back down with a loud thud as he hit the ground.

"Fuck…" was all that came out of his lips as he grabbed around his leg,  his eyes adjusting to the dimly lit room, looking around trying to evaluate his surroundings.

"Noah…" he heard whispered from behind him, looking back to see a concrete wall with a small barred window looking into the room next to his.

"Hudson?" He blinked as he tried to focus, unable to see out of his left eye. "How long have I been out?" He asked as he pulled his currently useless leg to rest in front of him, leaning back against the metal frame of a bed.

"A few hours?…Maybe a day? It's hard to keep track of time in here." She said in a continued hushed tone. "He has Rook."

His jaw stiffened again as he looked towards the metal door that kept him locked in the tiny cell-like room, then moving around to see if there was anything useful nearby to bandage his leg.

"None of this was supposed to happen this way." He said in a frustrated tone, his hand gently touching around his knee trying to evaluate how badly he was injured. He could feel the stare coming from Hudson as she moved closer to the window.

"What do you mean not happen this way, Noah?" Her voice was an equal part of worry as it was anger.

"Don't tell me you dumb ass Rookies had gotten yourself caught on purpose to try and find me."  She stared him down, unsure if she wanted to cry from anger or because she thought she was forgotten.

"Among many other reasons….yes we were captured purposely." He chewed the inside of his cheek as he tried to massage his own blood from his hands.

"Clearly it did not go to plan…and that is my fault." He was angry but it was not directed towards anyone, he was feeling such guilt for all of it; especially for whatever horror his sister currently faced. Looking slowly over at Joey seeing the tears in her eyes her moved his hand to rest between two of the bars. "Beck warned me to keep my cool no matter what. And I immediately lost it. "

Joey moved her hand to rest gently on his as she looked into his eyes. "Now you see what you are dealing with…." She whispered as she looked into his cell and down at his leg.

"We are not getting out any time soon….there will be no way to tend to your leg well enough to even try and escape. The guards whisper about how John is staying with Rebecca and to not disturb him for anything. Even if we get out…she won't." She swallowed hard and looked back into Noah's eyes. "And John will make her pay for whatever we do…" 

She squeezed his hand tightly her eyes full of terror. He simply nodded, agreeing for now to do nothing…physically anyway. He would do what he could to tend to his leg so it would heal properly while keeping watch on all the guards' actions and shift changes, he would be at full attention the entire time not allowing one possible iota of possible intel pass him by. Using Hudson's outstretched arm for leverage he managed to get himself onto the bed, ripping sheets and prying off a small piece of wood from under the frame using it to create a splint and tourniquet.

 

\------

 

She looked down at her feet trying to catch her breath, three droplets of her blood falling from her lips and staining the floor. They had been in that room for hours and not once has he asked her for her Confession nor anything else…He was taking his time to enjoy toying with the woman restrained in front of him. Slowly she looked forward, hearing his heavy boots on the floor the sound of a metal bat dragging behind him. A firm hand suddenly taking hold of chestnut locks, pulling up harshly so she would have to look up at him.

She took another hard breath as her eyes stared up into his; her gaze filled with every emotion she felt in that moment. Her anger at what he did to her brother, to Hudson, and to her, her worry if her brother was even alive, her annoyance at the continuation on this way and the sickening feeling inside she had since he sat washing her chest Perhaps it was because deep down she felt she deserved every ounce of pain he delivered onto her body….or perhaps it was something else deeper inside that found some pleasure in the pain. It, of course, was also entirely impossible she going absolutely insane.

John stared right back into her eyes, doing his best to hold all that was fighting back inside him and had for weeks. It was true he was angry at this woman and her brother for taking his Ranch from him and all the trouble they caused in his territory. He was angry at the task his brother had given him and how difficult they made it for him to complete, he detested how they risked his place in Eden with his family.

However, there was something else, something dark and not quite sinister, an ache building within him the pressure about to erupt causing him to embrace emotions and urges he had not for so long. He looked down at the woman keeping his stare as cold as he could, studying her eyes, seeing despite the strength she tried to project, John could see what was ready to burst from behind them. He began to study the structure of her face, the way her hair began to fall out of her hair tie, of how the swinging light above them would occasionally cause crimson appearing highlights sparkle within the tresses. He dared not to let his eyes wander down further as he had foolishly done earlier when he pulled open her shirt, leaving her almost completely exposed. He bit the inside of his cheek ensuring to put on the most convincingly menacing smirk he could manage as he tried to pull his thoughts from seeing her beautiful form in front of him.

Here sat the woman who threatened to cost him everything, a woman who was his enemy and he was sure if she ever became anything else the Father would step forward to claim whatever that may be. He reminded himself of all of this, trying to stomp out whatever was bubbling deep within as he moved his hand once again to grab around her neck. He slowly began to squeeze as their eyes remained locked on each other, she did not struggle nor gasp, she stared back to him as hard as he stared at her and this began to frustrate him in entirely new ways.

" _What game does she think she is playing with me…."_ he thought to himself as his lips curled into a snarl as he leaned forward until his face was just barely above hers. Her fists grabbed tightly onto the arms of the chair as she tried to calm herself knowing if she panicked she would pass out quickly…if he didn't kill her.

"What are you trying to do to me, Deputy…" He said in a low growl keeping his face close to hers. The shock moving through her with confusion at his question, knowing her eyes would show this as one eyebrow would partly raise. She gasped trying to speak, his hand still holding onto her throat slowly applying pressure, his gaze temporarily leaving hers as he looked at her neck. A smirk came across his lips again as he squeezed hard on her neck, his eyes watching hers for a moment before suddenly releasing her from his deadly grasp.

"I'm not doing….Anything…" She said breathlessly, gasping for air between words. Their eyes connected again as she sat a little straighter, causing their faces to be even closer.

Expecting a response from him she waited, only to hear a frustrated growl erupt from him and suddenly she was caught by surprise in an entire new way. John grasped back onto her neck firmly as his lips collided with hers, his kiss passionate and rough. Rebecca gasped in shock as she sat still, not believing that the most sadistic of the Seed's, the man who had been torturing her for hours was now placing a wet one on her. Everything in her told her to try and get away but somehow she found herself moving to return the rough kiss. John grabbed her bottom lip between his teeth, biting hard onto it as he pulled back slightly; a soft moan coming from within her as she saw blood begin to form under his pressure.

Finally he released her and stepped away, his thumb moving up to his lips slowly wiping her blood from it. She looked to him gasping for air again and feeling in utter disbelief at the fact he had just done that and that she did not feel utterly disgusted with herself and even gave in. Her eyes watched as he moved to suck the blood from his thumb before walking to grab his stool again.

"Are you ready to give your confession?" He asked as he sat down in front of her again.

"Don't you think you should before you ask for mine.." She said staring him down again, regaining her composure and allowing herself to be angry that he practically just assaulted her. His jaw clenched as he stared right back to her, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees.

"I do not need to confess to _anything._ You are who tempted me and are guilty." He looked absolutely convinced he was innocent. Whatever he was feeling towards her must have been her own doing, some how she had tapped into something he buried long ago and he would not let it seep back out again.

 

"Go to hell…" She said as she spat into his face, sitting back into her chair. The Baptist once again would smirk as he stayed in his relaxed position staring back at her, he would get all he wanted one way or another. If she chose to make it difficult he would indulge her and in doing so he would once again feed his own Sin.


	16. Jailbreak

"Chow time." A guard yelled as he practically threw a tray of slop and bread into Noah's cell. Glaring towards him reaching forward and pulling the tray towards him as he relaxed. More recently he found himself more comfortable on the ground with his leg up on part of the bed, or an old empty milk crate left in there while resting his back on the wall next to the barred window connecting his and Hudson's cells.

"Jo, you hungry?" He said as he pulled the tray all the way over to the window, taking only a small portion of the bread and ignoring the rest. Slowly the woman crawled over to her side of the window, reaching her gaunt limbs through the window and taking what she could to eat.

Once again they began talking to one another, Joey had clued Noah into all of the things John had subjected her to, to the torture both physical and mental, to being starved and purposely kept awake for days, how exhausted she truly felt and how she wanted to end it all. A deep bit grew within his gut of anger and guilt that the would be flawless plan essentially failed because of his lack of control over his temper, being lost in those thoughts he began to crumble the bread in his hand.

"Noah…Noah!" Hudson said as she shook him hard. "None of this is your fault okay…" She said reassuring him as she rubbed the side of his arm. Closing his eyes and nodding his head he tried so to focus just on the sound of his own breathing. "There you go…" She whispered into his ear as she moved to rub over his chest trying to help him relax.

This was a side of Joey Hudson that Noah hadn't seen for himself; however they never really chatted much before all this. His remembered his sister telling him how her new partner was a total badass but she could tell had the biggest heart out there…even being worried it could get in the way of 'the job'.

He couldn't help but smirk remembering the first time Joey and he met…Noah giving firm knowledge that nothing could ever happen to his sister only for Joey to remind Noah that Rebecca was one strong woman who could handle her own. They always seemed to pick fun at each other, they liked the same beer and before hell broke loose over Hope County they were competing for the best shooting record at the police firing range. Hell, they could have been the perfect match before the world around them went insane.   As Hudson finished the food on his tray he pushed it under the bed beside him, turning to face her more.

"We are going to get out of this Jo." He said to her in a soft tone, his emerald eyes gazing deeply into hers, his hand moving to reach into the bars towards her. "I promise you, one way or another…we will get out of here. " Her hand outstretched to rest on his as tears welled in her eyes.

"You both get out of here… There are so many of us locked down here being constantly tortured for John's sick mode of Confession. Get out of here…find a way to bring in _everyone_ and get us all out." Her voice was stern and almost cold as she fought back the tears welling up inside her once more.

"I can keep everyone here going…I know these people Noah." Her hand squeezed onto his as she lowered her forehead to rest against the bars. "You and Rook…are the only ones who can save the entire county. I can last down here a while longer." 

Before Noah could even speak; his own head been resting on the bars as he listened to her hushed tone, Joey moved her own to kiss the side of his head softly, two wet tears moving from her face onto his.

"Promise me, Noah…get Rook, get out of here and don't come back until you can get everyone out." With this, she slid a long shank that had been crudely made from some of the spare bars and springs in her bed along with a bag of something green. "Stop being a cop…take this it will help the pain until you get the fuck out of here."

Stunned he looked at her and down to the bag and shiv, grabbing at them slowly. He recognized the drug inside the bag instantly; his pre-cop days he indulged frequently in code name _Oregano_ but ever since he decided to attend the academy he had never touched it again. Rolling his eyes he pushed himself back up over his bed, finding something to roll a small portion of the oregano he broke up in between his fingers and smoke quickly before any of the guards knew what he was doing.

" _Highschool all over again…"_ he grumbled to himself as he closed the thin paper. Looking just past the outside bar of his cell he could see where a mindless cultist dropped his lighter, once again crawling over to try and reach underneath to grab it. Just as his fingers were nearing the metal zippo he could feel the ground vibrate as loud boots came marching down the hall.

"Noah, Hurry!!!" Hudson gasped out to him as she stood close to her door watching down the hall.

"I've almost….got it…" He said as he strained to reach it, a piece of metal not finely smoothed at the bottom of the bars starting to cut into his arms.

Boom…Boom…Boom…The footsteps and now voices grew louder. "Someone should let John know the male is awake. Focusing on one Sinner for so long cannot be well for our Baptist…" They could hear one of the cultists say. Then suddenly the footsteps stopped and like they turned on a heel.

"Yes brother, Let us inform him of this news…" The voice was sinister and cold but was the last they would hear as the boots and voices began making their way in the other direction. He took a heavy breath as he pushed his arm out farther, the metal cutting deeper until finally, he could grab the rectangular lighter. Ensuring his hand had a firm grip he slowly began pulling backward, blood smearing up his arm and down the concrete as he did, focusing on his breathing the entire time. 

Both Hudson and Noah sat back against their front bars of the cells as they looked over at one another. His hand shaking Noah lifted the joint to his lips, striking the lighter twice until a small flame began to burn from it, using that to light the paper. Slowly he drew a breath in, closing his eyes as he shut the zippo shut, pushing it into his pants pocket. Without exhaling the first he breathed in another hit even deeper, holding back the urge to cough as he moved to pass it to Hudson through their barred window.

"You need it too." He said between coughs. She didn't hesitate as she too began to partake in the act that would get most cops fired if not in jail. They watched each other, passing the joint back and forth as they laughed, enjoying the last little time they had together.

"So…how do I get out of here?" Noah asked as they finished the last hit.

"Well… Good news is there's fresh blood…the bad news is you need a little more on your leg or something to make it believable." She said looking over him. Sitting straight Noah gave her half a glare.

"What the hell for?!" He exclaimed which only caused Hudson to laugh.

"Scared of a little blood and cuts Dep? I am going to scream and get the guard in here saying you started bleeding again and lost a lot of blood. They won't know its not enough for concern but they will rush in to help you. You will be lying down on the shiv and when they go to turn you over…. _Kill them_." Her eyes could have flashed red as she instructed Noah he would have to kill them.

It wasn't the best idea…but he would get to take out a couple of Peggies, get the supplies his sister needed, find her and get the hell out of there. Taking the shiv tightly in one hand he opened his cut arm a little deeper before going to slice across his stomach just above his bullet wound. Finally, he would loosen his splint on his leg, cutting open a previously healing portion trying not to yell out, tightening his splint once more.  Now for the final part looking to where the blood smears would make sense…. It wasn't too much work in his moving around since he came into the cell he was bleeding off and on, his blood dripping or smearing here and there. Shrugging he chose to lay down where he could quickly get out of the cell and onto his mission.

Laying on top of the shiv with its handle firmly in his hand he nodded to Hudson who began to scream. Focusing on his breathing he slowed his heart rate, counting down from her scream and until he heard boots running back towards him. He counted how many steps it took to get to the cell and how many to reach him. _Two men…that’s it?_ Noah thought to himself trying to fight off an actual smirk. As the reached down to roll him over, he thrust his blade upwards catching one cultist across the throat, then moving to stab the other in the kneecap turning roughly and causing him to fall to the floor.  Finally taking the shiv out of the man's knee he plunged it quickly into his chest making for a quick death for the man.

Looking over to Hudson who sat cowered in a corner of her cell he nodded, slowly standing up reaching into the men's pockets for anything useful. Keys, a walkie and one pistol between the two of them…Noah had no time to joke at how poorly prepared these cultists seemed to be and just flat out moronic on top of that. 

Walking out of his cell he paused, going to turn towards Hudson's but she was already at the bars pleading him not to, her eyes no longer welling with tears but had become a full fountain for them.

 "Please, Noah… Just go!" She nearly screamed at him as she pushed his hands away. It nearly broke his heart to have this woman push him away like this when he could save her, but if what she said was true to the number of people left down here, Joey was the one who could help them survive until he could return.

"I will come back for you Joey." He said before he turned and walked away into the darkness. He would have to move quickly and quietly, find all of their confiscated gear, all of the items of Rebecca's list, find Rebecca herself and a way out of here all before alarms were raised.

"Oh yeah…A piece of cake….nothing to it.." He said sarcastically under his tone as he began his search. 


	17. Confessions

They had been going on the same back and forth round for hours, first, he just found joy inflicting pain on her for no reason she loved digging her own verbal razors into him after finding his subtle triggers…now he would tell her why each and every pain was being inflicted. For trying to arrest Joseph that first night…Killing countless of the _Faithful_ and the worst for jeopardizing his place alongside his brothers….for trying to awaken a beast inside he killed long ago. He blamed her for things she could not control and all she could do was gasp and try to endure the pain of it all, which soon began bringing some kind of pleasure the longer it went on.

"We will begin easily Deputy…." His voice remained in that almost half growl tone it had for the last hour as he walked in circles around her. "Your name…where you're from….why choose little old Hope County as your place to join law enforcement. Certainly, there were other…more appealing opportunities for a woman like you?" He stopped when he came around in front of her again, a smirk across his lips as he tapped his fingers together.

"Why would I tell you anything?" She snapped at him, her glare cold as eyes as a snarl came across her own face. This display only made the Baptist chuckle as stood behind the stool.

"I am asking nicely Deputy…" He began as his eyes stared straight into hers. "Tell me these simple things that I ask of you, simply say Yes to beginning your confession and no more harm must come to your friends or your brother. "  By the time he had finished, his voice was no longer a calm constant tone but had grown louder, more annoyed and most importantly much more threatening. It wasn't like he had lost his temper or was over being annoyed…he was giving her an ultimatum and maybe a way out for her friends.

"Noah…He's…" She began looking around, John simply smiled with a soft chuckle.

"He is alive….for now. " He gave a twisted grin as he sat down onto his seat, moving his hands to rest on her knees. Jolting back slightly she sat straight in her chair, staring back at him, her arms too sore from their bounds to flinch much more.

"My name is Rebecca…" She paused taking a hard swallow, her eyes looking to his which were fixated on her eagerly awaiting her to finish.  "Rebecca Rose Danielson." She finished as she let a sigh escape her lips.

"Rebecca…" he said quietly as he pondered with a smile growing across his lips. "And why did you come to Hope County Rebecca?" he asked learning to rest his arms on his own lap, his hands sliding from her legs to rest between them. Her eyes moved from his down to where his hands rested slightly near her bound ones.

She was quiet for a moment or two, pondering how to answer that question, what things to let this man before her know. Her heart was beginning to feel heavy out of worry for her brother and Hudson but knowing they both were still alive took some of that away. As long as she decided to trust John's word and not think he was toying with her, it was the only way she could swallow that pain aside and move it elsewhere. She began thinking of those she couldn't save, those she killed telling herself she had no choice, to wondering how her father was doing back home. Tears began welling in her eyes as she looked back up to the Baptist letting a smile come across her face.

"I grew up in Montana… My family came to Hope County often for special fairs or events like the Testy Festy in Fall's End. " She paused chuckling at the first time Casey made her try one of his 'Cowboy Delicacy' and the second she found out what it was…she puked right there on the bar floor leaving poor Casey horrified. She was only seven or eight years old at the time, what did the man really think was going to happen by not telling her what he was giving her… Now a day's she found she quite enjoys anything Casey cooked, including 'testy'.

He would reach forward and snap his fingers loudly in front of her eyes. "Rebecca…" His voice snapped her back into reality, having become lost in her thoughts. "Now what is taking your mind from this. Perhaps remembering something to confess to.?"  Again John had that arrogant grin on his face.

"Not yet." She gave a smirk back to him. "You wanted to know why I came here to Hope County, remember?" She leaned back in her chair, her muscles sore from the chair itself let alone the torture he would administer to her.

"By all means." He leaned back and motioned one hand.

"I always wanted to be a cop. I grew to love Hope County and the people here when I came for visits throughout my childhood. When I heard there was an opening, I applied before even attending the academy." She chuckled softly remembering the reactions. "Of course, I had to go attend the academy in Missoula but the moment I graduated… I had a job with Sheriff Whitehorse."  Her eyes remained on his, he was absolutely fixated on her as a smile came across his lips.

"Your sin's are beginning to shine through Deputy…Tell me of when you tried to take the Father…and instead, all your friends were taken by us?" He again gave a devilish grin as her eyes became harsh, the anger bubbling at his tone and that night flashing through her eyes.

"I had a job to do. I was going to complete it one way or another. Then all your Peggies went fucking ape shit and jumped all over the helicopter. We crashed… Joseph gave a little speech, my friends were grabbed as the chopper caught fire… I managed to escape and I ran." Her voice was firm and cold, she was fighting through everything to not begin yelling and cursing at him, to let the anger that was building escape.

"And then…." he replied.

"The Marshall and I tried to escape, you ultimately caught up with us blew us off a god damn bridge and we almost died. Somehow you got the Marshall and I managed to escape." She smirked as she looked at him leaning forward. "And I've continued to beat you every step of the way even when you think you are winning… John, your sin will not allow you to."

He stood to his feet, throwing his stool around the room. She could see the anger building inside, the rage, the _Wrath_ , right there behind John's deep blue eyes. As he began to take a breath before charging for her they both felt shaken by the sounds of several cultists running towards them.

The door thrusting open a bloodied and out of breath man walked inside attempting to regain his composure.  "Brother John…. The male he's…he's escaped." He said with a tremble both in his voice and his body as the Baptist's attention turned from Rebecca over to the man.

"So go and **_FIND_** him!" He barked out as other guards joined them inside the room. Without out another word, John reached forward grabbing the pistol from one of the cultist's belt loop pointing it at the one who dared bring him such news, leaning in close.

"Find the Sinner…and place Hudson back into her original cell…in my _personal_ quarters." He held the tightly under the man's chin causing him to meet his eyes. "And if you fail me….if the Deputy manages to escape… You will wish I had sent you to my sister." His lips were in a snarl as he pulled the gun away motioning them all to leave him at once. 

"I told you….you would never get away with all of this Johnny boy." She taunted him as she shifted to sit more comfortably in the metal chair. For a moment she worried he would quickly be on top of her crushing her throat or giving her a new scar, his voice in a growl and his face in a snarl but instead he just laughed.

"I believe another field trip is in order. Seems yours and your friends' attempts at escape and rescue are becoming too frequent for now…" He leaned in as he began untying her leg restraints.

"Now…you had made the issue of taking my Ranch from me but soon enough my brother's Faithful will reclaim it and we can truly begin work." He snarled back up at her as his hand slowly moved up her leg dangerously close to her thigh and then beelining it for her wrists.  "For now we will find something suitable. Perhaps visit one of my siblings or just make due to another outpost. " He paused part way through his sentence to lean in close to her whispering. "There is no Hope for you _Deputy.._ "

Her eyes fixated on John, waiting for the right opportunity as she was able to use her hands. As usual, he was overconfident about himself, leaving one hand and both feet free as he untied the other.

"You know what your problem is John…" She said in a forced honeyed tone.

"And what is that..?" He replied as he began to loosen her other restraints.

"You are too confident…" She smirked as she pushed with all of her might to thrust her legs into his midsection pushing him away from her. Falling onto his back with the gun knocking out of his waistband the Baptist began to struggle towards it just as the large door opened.

"Rebecca!!!" The voice bellowed as in a limp like run Noah barged into the room, taking the pipe he currently was using to dispatch cultist's and driving it into John's back. "I warned you…." He said as he looked down at him, raising the pipe above his head.

Rebecca continued to struggle against her final restraints finally coming free as her brother was about to strike down onto John's head. In a moment shocking to all those in the room she screamed out and ran in between the men, using her hand to try and hold the pipe away from John.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short delay on posting, I've been dealing with the flu but hopefully I can start posting more chapters daily for you all!


	18. Escape

"Rebecca…What the hell?!" Noah asked as he lowered the pipe. "Don't tell me this fucker got into your head with some brainwashing bullshit."

Rebecca couldn't help but laugh and shake her head at her brother. "I want John Seed dead as much as you, Brother. But other things take priority right now like I don't know, get your leg taken care of that looks like it's about to fall completely apart?!"

Leaning down she moved pieces of fabric and some of the splint to try and look at his leg before her attention went back to John. Reaching down she smirked as she lowered herself to meet his face "You are about to find out what it means to be stuck in your own chair…"

With the help of Noah, they dragged John to the same chair he confined her to for days, using rope, tape and even handcuffs to strap him in tightly before they decided to gag him.

 "Think of your own sin's John… I'm sure Joseph will love to hear your confession," she smirked as she wrapped an arm around her brother's waist helping him out of the room. They would forget the rest of the supplies; honestly, Noah barely had the chance to find any of them before the alarms sounded, and find their way out of this hellhole memorizing their way around for when they would return for Hudson.

It took time, they grabbed whatever ammo and weapons they could from boxes or off of cultists they managed to take out as they moved their way up the bunker towards the surface. Several minutes later they heard shouts coming from the direction they had left John bound and gagged, choosing now as the time to make their break as fast as they could.

As they reached the four tall flights of stairs that lead right to the exit she had taken the last time she escaped both their bodies felt they could go no longer. Noah began bleeding once again and his leg increasingly becoming useless again, now the _oregano_ wore off he found himself feeling every ounce of pain.

"Noah….just a little farther we have to go…come on." She pleaded as she pulled him back to his feet. Slowly the began leaning on one another as the climbed the stairs that seemed to go forever, using the hand railings and all of Rebecca's strength to hold her brother up and help him find the momentum to go on. They wouldn't make it to where they stashed all their things… they would be lucky to make it out of here.

"I know your sin…." The speakers within the bunker began to crackle, the sickening voice she was all too tired of hearing come across again. "It drives your every thought your every action…You both carry the same sin…. You both carry the dangerous aspects of that sin and together your sins are incarnate."

They kept walking, seeing the daylight slowly begin to shine in through the large doors in front of them left cracked open.

"I will indulge you….become your sin…feed on it. Show what other sins stain your soul and soon enough…you will be back here with me….confessing it all before it suffocates you…" His voice was calm and seemed as if he was trying to irk them to cause more chaos as they tried to flee, or perhaps once again he was toying with them because they never would.

Finally, they reached the final steps, both using one hand to push open the heavy doors as the sun nearly blinded them. Stepping out they were shocked to see no cultists, no guns…no Angels…nothing trying to stop them.

"Go! Push the Sinner from this place! Allow them to be destroyed by their own sins!" John's voice yelled over the speakers again. Soon they began hearing the rumble of what felt like hundreds of footsteps come running towards them from deep inside the bunker, the twins looking to each other and around them.

Noah tightened the straps on his splint and grabbed a few green sprouts from inside his pocket throwing them into his mouth; causing Rebecca to practically gag. He grabbed her hand firmly as they began trying to run out of the bunker's property and towards the house by the creek, from where they would go to Fall's End, debrief everyone and especially have Noah's leg looked at.

"Noah! Just a little further please you can do this!!!" she cried out as she tried to pull her brother with her. They ran as fast as they could, Noah feeling his leg about to crumble under him as they hurried down the hill, as the house came into sight the felt as if it was a Miraj, unreal and they were just dreaming of it all.  Noah's leg began to fail to hold his weight up nor to take even a step farther once they reached where their firepit laid days before.

"Beck… I can't walk… I'm bleeding out here." He gasped as he laid down…a pool of blood forming under his leg. "In the pack…bandages….radio….Call Nick…call Jerome…Call…" He laid one hand next to his leg as his voice started to fade out.

"Noah!" She called out with tears welling in her eyes. She could try and pull the pack off of her brother's back as he laid on it, but she remembered supplies she left inside. "Just…hold on…Please, Noah, Hold on!!" She begged as she darted towards the house gathering all she would need to tend to her brother and radio to try and reach anyone to help them.


	19. Desperation

"God damn it where is everything?!" She screamed out as she pushed her way into her bedroom, throwing up the mattress to see the rest of what she needed lying underneath it. "Fuck sakes." She said under her breath as she scooped it all into her arms and taking her radio off the nightstand.

"Fall's End. Anyone copy?" Static….

"Rye's Aviation. Anyone copy?" Static….

"US Auto. Anyone Copy?" Static…

As she knelt back down at her brother she began tearing open packages of gauze and an old sewing kit she managed to find, laying everything out neatly in front of her, with each static she heard as she tried to radio the Resistance her heart broke a little more. She moved up to rest her hands on Noah's chest, her steel blue eyes fighting to hold a flood gate of tears as she looked down at him, beginning CPR.

"1…2…3…. 1…2…3…" She continued pushing down on her brother's chest as she counted breathing into his mouth between. "God damn it Noah wake the fuck up!"

She screamed out as she began beating on his chest, leaning down to listen…slowly he began to breathe back to life. "Don't you die on me you jerk!" She said as she proceeded with CPR just a moment more until his breathing was stronger on his own.

"Rook? Rook is that you?" She finally heard the familiar gruff voice come across the coms. Moving back down towards his leg where she left the radio, she took a bottle of alcohol in one hand, twisting the top off with her thumb and taking a large swig, grabbing the radio with her other.

"Go for Rook." She answered into the radio, feeling breathless as she moved quickly to clean her brother's wound.

"Damn Kid, I thought we had lost you for good. What the hell were you thinking giving yourselves to John Seed willingly?" Dutch began to reprimand her. She knew she would owe everyone an explanation, especially now that it all had gone horribly wrong. Breathing deeply she set the bottle down, resting a stack of gauze on her brother's lap before threading some thread through an upholstery needle.

"Dutch. I don't need the lecture right now. It's Noah." She choked back more tears before continuing on. "John hurt him bad Dutch and I've already almost lost him he's holding on by a thread."

Her eyes moved down to her brother who still was unconscious, looking carefully to make sure he was at least still breathing. "This is going to hurt bud…" She whispered as she began stitching up his leg together best she could until they got to a doctor. She had absolutely no medical training besides the small amount of field dress training she opted for at the academy, and from what she could see Noah would need an actual doctor soon.

"What is your location?" Dutch's voice wasn't cold or angry with her any longer. His voice stayed a constant as he spoke, almost like he was trying to hold it in like she was….and was much better at it.

"Doverspike." Was all she could get out as she finished the last stitch, moving to begin packing the wound area with gauze and protect it best she could for now.

"We've got people coming for ya Rook. Both of you hold on." Dutch responded…That was the end of any radio contact for a while as Rebecca sat next to her brother, checking for more injuries and tending to the current ones, trying to wake him up and always making sure he's breathing. Her hand rested on her brothers chest as she sat with her knees tucked against her own body, she studied his face, so bruised and bloodied, his usual thick stylish chestnut locks a mess, his breathing slow but strong.

They sat there in silence waiting for help to arrive, silent worry, silent fear…and finally silent prayer. She prayed her brother could hold on long enough to get him back to Fall's End or wherever the help he needed would be. Prayed for strength to go on if she had to without him but begging to never have to experience losing her best friend. She was lost in her prayers when one gun mounted green truck and one old van arrived pulling up close to where they were on the ground.

"Oh my god! Rook! Noah!" Mary May cried out as she ran out of the van right towards them. "What the hell happened?!"

"No time to explain Mary we need to get him to someone who can help…. The clinic maybe? Where Kim plans to have her baby?" She looked on as Nick and Jerome lifted Noah carefully, carrying him inside the back of the van where they managed to strap a makeshift gurney to turn it into an ambulance on short notice.

"No that won't work… Kim's doctor isn't really a doctor… I mean all she does is deal with minor injuries and illness…mainly she's just good for delivering babies. " Nick responded causing her heart to sink.

"We can take him to Fall's End and from there we can all pitch in finding a doctor and doing what we can to keep him holding on until we do."  Jerome rested his hand on her shoulder in a comforting manner as she turned to look at him.  "God can do miraculous things Deputy, and I don't think He is done with your brother yet."

"No. Experienced or not that damn midwife has more of the things we will need to help him. I will go around this entire damned county to find someone experienced to do the rest if I have to." She darted a hard gaze to all of them as they began preparing Noah to be loaded for transport.

No one said another word, no more arguments about where to take him. She didn't care what experience this physician had she knew if they could bring a child into the world they could stabilize her brother and do a better stitch job at the least than she had. Once he was stable they would worry about what would come next…even the Seed's and the hell the cult brought down on them could wait.

With that they loaded up, Rebecca sitting in the back of the van with her brother keeping a close eye on him the entire run. The drive seemed to last for hours until they finally pulled up to the remote backcountry clinic, Rebecca and Mary May running in ahead of the men as they carefully brought Noah inside.

 

\------

 

"I can't lose him, Nick… I can't…" Rebecca looked down at her half-empty coffee mug, drumming her thumb with the beat of her own heart on the side.

"I know, Partner. I know." The aviator replied as he stood walking over to the door separating them from the makeshift operating room.

"He's stronger than any man I've served with…and I thought I served with the best until now." Nearly jumping out of her own skin Becca looked up at the front door, a smile slowly appearing on her face. As if appearing out of nowhere, leaning against the doorframe with her sniper on her back, hair pulled messily in a braid under an old cap, and her usual stoic expression on her face stood Grace Armstrong.

"Grace…?" She asked as she set her mug down and standing up to meet her halfway into the room. "How..?"

"Dutch called everyone. Sorry took me a minute, damn Peggie's made a run at my old man's grave again. I don't think they will try a third time." As usual it was hard to tell if she was joking or serious about why she was late, but knowing Grace Armstrong and her feelings to the resting place of her father and all veterans in Hope County, she bet her money that she just got done taking down her own share of cultists.

"You're here. That's what matters…and when he wakes up he will be glad to see you." Rebecca responded as she patted the soldier's arm who responded in a pat across the back of her shoulders.

They all sat on the couches and chairs spotting the small waiting area as they waited. They would take turns at the doors of the OR trying to hear of what was happening, or just passing the time playing cards or telling old stories. The war waging with Joseph Seed and his cult didn't exist for a small time, the world outside frozen to them as the clock ticked slowly on the wall, each chime for another hour passed giving another agonizing ping in her chest.

It was near midnight when the doors finally opened and the doctor and Jerome exited the room, Mary nudging Rebecca from her half dozed state and Grace kicking Nick's boot to wake him up. The group stood and walked together towards them, each and every one of them holding their breath to hear the news. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what do you all think of the story so far?? I love to hear your thoughts and comments


	20. What's Next?

She sat next to his bed tracing the eagle tattoo on his forearm just below his IV as she listened to the machines beep around them. The last few hours were a whirlwind from their escape to the sudden real fear she could have lost her brother, to now sitting in this room with him as he slept. Her fingers slowly traced the numbers tattooed under the eagle just above his wrist…the numbers the army gave him when he signed up…numbers he took pride in.

She smiled thinking back to the day he came home from boot camp. She had never seen him more exhausted or more sure of himself in their lives. She remembered the day he told the family he was being shipped out, the fear that shot through her and didn't leave for the 18 months he was overseas. A fear she felt again for the first time when he collapsed in front of her.

Taking a deep breath she stood up walking over to one of the windows as she looked outside seeing the world around them come back to life with the morning sun, pulling them open just enough to allow the light in to blanket over his body.

"Wake up Noah…" She said as she reached and grabbed his hand. She had so many emotions building inside of her as she tried to make sense of how everything went so wrong. She began to feel the intense anger towards John Seed bubble in her gut and the heartache at not listening to the warnings of just how enraged her brother had made him. She felt guilty for convincing her brother to go through what she knew now was an impossible and suicidal plan…she was why he was in that bed.

With one hard blow of air out of her lungs, she slapped her thighs as she stood to her feet, walking to pour herself yet another coffee pushing her chair back hard enough it fell to the ground with a loud thud. She hadn't cared about her own injuries or the fact she had a couple of her own fresh stitches on her side or in her forehead, nearly forgetting them until she felt a twinge in her side as she took few too many wide strides.

"You always were bad at taking doctors orders…" The voice was hoarse and quiet, almost as if it was only in her head.

"Remember when you broke your arm falling from Anderson's tree?" He cleared his voice every couple of words, his voice steadily becoming louder.  Nearly dropping her mug in realization he was awake, Rebecca turned quickly hurrying to his bed, grabbing onto him tightly causing him to laugh and react to the pain it undoubtedly caused.

"Noah!" She said happily as her brother tried to adjust under her weight, causing her to stand upright as she dusted him off before punching him in the arm. "Don't you EVER scare me like that again you asshole!"

"So…guessing that wolf I thought feasting on my leg was really a doctor huh?" He said as he looked down making sure his leg was still there.

"You lost a lot of blood and…between the crowbar and then your running around the bunker the damage was pretty bad…you're lucky you didn't lose your leg. Fuck Noah, you almost died!" She said as she stood up walking to the foot of the bed, pulling his blanket off his bandaged leg so he could see it was still mostly intact.

Before he could begin asking the questions that were immediately coming to his mind as he tried to remember what exactly happened the memories jumbled and foggy at best, the rest of their merry little group came hurrying into the room each excited in their own way to see him awake. He would shake Pastor Jerome's hand and nod politely as he said he knew God had a plan for him, give at least part of his special handshake with Nick without words being said, and managed to convince both Kim and Mary May not to hug him right now but wait until he was actually back on his feet to celebrate.

Slinking back into the corner of the room Rebecca gave everyone a chance to talk to her brother, knowing he was awake allowing her to focus on asking her own questions and refocusing on whatever her new mission would be. At first, she would walk around outside of the doctor's office going for the handle then backing away to begin pacing once more until she finally worked up the nerve to enter and finally hear details on her brother's condition.

She knocked twice softly before she walked inside, finding the doctor hunched over her desk with x-rays and an old medical journal on one side and an old trucker's ham radio in front of her.

"Let me know if you guys manage to come across any will ya? I just used the last I have and if anyone else needs that medication up down here we are screwed." The doctor didn't look up from her desk this time as she continued on into the radio, nodding slowly as someone replied into the headset she had partly on her head covering only one ear. After signing off with whomever it was she was talking to the doctor sighed heavily setting the headset down as she reached for her cigarettes, resting one between her lips as she struck a match on the side of her desk.

"Guessing you want the rundown on your brother…I have to warn you it's not the worst but in the current state of things it's not good." The doctor stated as she turned around slowly to face Rook.

"Just tell me the truth Doc… straight forward. Whatever we have to figure out, whatever deals I have to make or area I have to clear or fuck even if I have to take someone out to get whatever it is my brother needs…I will get it done." She walked over to the desk pressing her pointer finger down hard in punctuation as her voice became ominous.

"Your brother's leg is badly banged up. I was able to stop the bleeders and repair his artery, even clean up some of the breaks but unless we get him somewhere with much better facilities and equipment than I have, not to mention, someone who actually knows more about surgery past caesareans…he will most likely never be able to walk on it again." The doctor's voice held sarcasm when she passingly mentioned her lack of knowledge, something that would ordinarily irritate the Deputy but she knew, in all honesty, the woman was genuinely worried about Noah. Taking a deep breath Rebecca nodded as she began to think.

"Okay… what else?" She asked, her voice softened as she grabbed a small notepad and pen from the other side of the desk. The doctor spent the next seventeen minutes explaining everything that would need to be done, everything they would need to get their hands on in order for Noah to get back on his feet again. Nodding slowly Rebecca began looking over the list as she listened to the doctor tell her again how for the time being it was too dangerous to move Noah.

"So first things first…Finding a place to take him and clearing a route for safe transport…" She said as she tapped her pen onto the pad along with each numbered item.

"The Jail has a pretty adequate triage set up…from what I've heard they have been both taking care of the wounded and helping people come out of that Bliss shit that Faith has been dumping into the Henbane region." The doctor replied as she looked up to Rebecca who only nodded in response.

"I'll have Dutch, Mary and Jerome look into some of these supplies along with any doctors or medics they can. Meanwhile, I guess I'm heading to the Jail." She smirked as she walked out of the room, the doctor with no chance of responding before she was down the hall.

Walking back into the now recovery room her brother and their friends were gathered in she began reading the list again as she composed herself. Moving to stand near the center of the room just past where they all stood around his bed she cleared her throat, the chatter dying down as suddenly every eye was on her.

"I just talked to the doctor…" She began as she still looked at the paper not wanting to look at her brother.

"And…?" He asked, his voice far more enthusiastic than she would have hoped for.

"For now….you have to stay in this bed and its too dangerous to move you but I have a plan." She looked right into her brother's eyes trying to fend off her own worry that this too would go wrong.

"It's nothing like getting captured by a Seed…" She began in reassurance to all of them. "Hope County Jail has been set up as both a safe haven and an effective triage and possible surgery unit… The Sheriff himself is there running things. If I can get there and see what is going on and make a safe route to get you there… we can get you fixed up and back out there kicking ass in no time."

She paused waiting for her brother to interrupt her but he only nodded slowly as he gritted his teeth, deciding to continue with more reassurances knowing this was their only choice for him.

"I'm not going alone. I figure Grace is my best chance to get to the Jail quickly and mostly undetected. Meanwhile, I need the rest of you splitting up this supply list, it's all we will need and then some. We need to get this clinic stocked in case something else happens, and I want something prepared in Fall's End as well, maybe in the church."

Again no one argued, simply nodding along as they waited to hear each of their parts. The rest of the afternoon they would all be given their own list of supplies and information to gather along with rotational schedules to be at the clinic before they were on their way, leaving only the siblings and Grace alone in the room.

"I'll be safe Noah I promise. I'll make sure to check in and you know Grace is the best one next to you to have my back." She grasped her brother's hand again giving it a squeeze.

"Just hurry and be safe. You need to go now before dark hits if you hurry you can reach 8-Bit in a couple of hours on foot. Stay there until tomorrow and make the rest of your way to the jail. Say 'Hey' to Whitehorse for me." Noah's voice had never been more serious nor more loving as he squeezed his sister's hand moving his other to rest on top of hers. She nodded leaning down to give him a hug one last time promising him to stay safe, as she left the room she would pause once more looking back at the brother who she had almost lost and now was parting from again.

"Get out of here, I'll be fine. I could use the R&R." Noah gave his usual charming smile and a wink as he encouraged her to go. For once he didn't worry about her, not after she managed to stay so calm even after he had ruined everything, for once he was glad to be taken out of the fight for a while.


	21. The Jail

"Come on it couldn't have been that bad…" Rebecca said to Grace as she continued telling one of her stories of her time in Afghanistan.

"I'm serious, we were waist deep in shit just hoping this tank wouldn't run us the fuck over…I'm glad all we worry about here besides the wildlife is trucks." The sniper said as she shook her head as they continued forward.  

"Fuck…" Rook replied shaking her head as she chuckled imagining her friend laying low in the muck watching a big ass tank roll past her. "I guess they really never did tell us all that much on the news." She shrugged as she placed her bow back onto its clasp on the side of her backpack, beginning to think how much if anything at all the outside world knew about what was taking place in Hope County.

They had been walking since the break of dawn, cutting through forested areas and gathering intel on all cult outposts between the 8-Bit and the Jail knowing they would be back within the next couple days to liberate those on the route they would map to bring her brother into the region. Along the way Dutch had radioed in key information about the region, warnings to stay away from the white Bliss flowers and to keep an eye out for anything weird, along with the little information he had on the region's Herald a woman named Faith who had appeared one day as the Seed's 'Little Sister'.

Every once in a while they would come across a field of Bliss away from main outposts or only guarded by a small handful of Cultist's, taking the opportunity to silence them and burn the fields before they continued forward however as they continued on their supplies for Molotov's or Rebecca's flaming arrows were beginning to diminish into nothing.

They walked for hours, from sun up until nearly sun down when they finally came around the bend, seeing a large field of flowers and in the distance the Hope County Jail. Sighing softly Rebecca pulled her pack off her back, kneeling down to begin searching for anything she could use to burn the flowers that blocked part of their path.

"I'm bone dry. Guess we are going around." She said as she closed her pack, swinging it back to its place as she stood to her feet. The two of them began scanning the area in front of them and around the jail when suddenly the sounds of gunfire and trucks coming  up the road were carried to their ears.

"Is that…?" Grace began to ask as Rebecca's jaw tightened, placing her binoculars back on her hip she looked to her friend knowing exactly what it was they were hearing.

"Peggie's are attacking the Jail." She said as she slowly looked back to the jail. 

"We made it just in time then." Grace smirked as she grabbed her rifle beginning to make her way to the main road. 

Taking another deep breath Rebecca followed suit, taking her own rifle from her back as they began to run down the road, taking cover where they could as the trucks came barreling up the road from behind them.

"I'm starting to think I will hate Faith more than John." Grace said as she aimed down her sights, taking down one of the Peggie sniper's firing on the Resistance on the upper walls. Rebecca began looking around her, counting cultist's and their positions as she began to quickly formulate a plan of attack, switching her sniper for her 45/70 assault rifle.

"Find yourself a perch and line of sight to cover me. I'm going for the gate's… if I get inside then we can cover them from two angles until these fucking Peggie's get the picture to not fuck with the Jail again." Her voice had a low growl to it as her eyes looked back to the siege taking place at the gates.

Grace nodded, moving off to find herself a suitable position as Rebecca moved to the other side of the road creeping her way to the old guard station just inside the parking lot, taking out four cultists on her way there. Both Grace and Rebecca confirming they were in position and keeping the coms open so they could alert of cultist's moving positions.

If she thought the fight to free Fall's End or when they had to protect the Rye's from John and the cultist's he commanded, it was nothing compared to the fight they found themselves in there at the jail. Once they had ended the first siege she heard a familiar voice on her radio, giving her a pause of relief as the small door off the wall opened, causing her to hurry her way through.

"Holy Shit! Rook, you are a sight for sore eyes." The sheriff hurried and greeted her as she came through while instructing Resistance member's to reinforce the gates before the next wave game. "We have been dealing with these damn Peggies throwing themselves at these walls for days."

Once again the sounds of trucks barreling up the road accompanied by gunfire, she had stepped barely out of the way as one of the Resistance members came plummeting onto the ground between her and the Sheriff.

"Rook! Get up on that roof we got more coming!" He pointed to the ladder leading up to the wall and pulled the badly injured man out of the way as everyone prepared for another assault.

She scurried up the ladder as fast as she could, directing the members already onto the wall to specific posts as she radioed to Grace to take out as many as she could from behind. The battle was long, and bloody, trucks seemed to never stop coming and the footmen came running from every direction. There were explosions as some of them hit the proximity mines she had thrown out to block them from getting to the gate or up the walls; some how a small handful made it inside but luckily they were dispelled of quickly.

She barely heard the cheers of the Resistance as the last Cultist's began running back into the hills screaming retreat. She stood covered in her own sweat and drenched in the blood of those who had gotten too close to her, along with the sad few of her own men being shot beside her, their blood spraying over her.

Grace began walking up the road, using her pistol to kill any Peggie's dumb enough to run her way being welcomed into the gates as she made her way to them.  Rebecca stood just looking at her hands for a moment and then the carnage around her, the Resistance already quickly moving to bring in their wounded inside the Jail's triage and gather the dead to be buried before she finally came down the ladder joining Whitehorse following him inside the Jail with Grace right behind her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I made y’all wait a little bit for this chapter life was a bit crazed this weekend but hope you all enjoy!


	22. What We Need

She sat on one of the cots behind slightly transparent curtains wearing only her jeans and her bra trying not to flinch each time Tracey applied alcohol to one of her wounds or began to stitch close one of her new wounds from the assault, or close her injuries given by John.

"I'm sorry for being so rude when you first came in, it's been a hard time for us all and…." Tracey said as she stitched close a bullet graze on her side. "I guess I'm worried somehow Faith will find her way into these walls and we will all be lost." 

Rebecca could understand, she hadn't met Faith yet but she had heard horror stories about her even before she came to the Henbane River region, she spoke the same way people did in Holland Valley about John. She just nodded, letting Tracey continue talking as she finished bandaging her up double checking each wound and joking that if she kept getting fights like this she would be back often for more stitches.

Standing up as she pulled her shirt back over her body and straighten her clothes out Rebecca smiled, turning to face the woman. "Thanks… Um, where did Whitehorse go?" She asked as she looked around once Tracey pulled the curtain open.

"He's probably up on the wall or supervising repairs. " She replied going back to cleaning up the utensils and preparing the area for the next patient.

Rebecca nodded, grabbing her pack and slinging it back over her shoulders, snapping her bow and sniper rifle to its clasps on the side and her pistol to her hip once more. After the siege ended she was given a quick introduction to the major players of the Henbane; the resistance there calling themselves the 'Cougars'. Virgil was a timid man but seemed kind enough, Tracey was a hardass who she could tell deep inside cared more than she let on, and finally, Sheriff Whitehorse were the three directing the Cougar's activities and fight against the Peggie's. 

Heading outside, she slid her dark aviator sunglasses off the top of her head over her eyes to shield them from the sun as she looked over the yard to find the Sheriff. Finally finding him over near the far wall repairing one of the inside fences, humming to himself while he worked.

"Need a hand there Sheriff?" She asked as she approached him, the man standing with a smile as he looked over to her. 

"Well, I'm thinking help of a different kind later Rook." He chuckled as he looked around the yard. "I don't see that brother of yours with ya, I heard you two were raising hell for John Seed together." 

Rebecca sighed as she looked down for a moment, kicking a small rock across the ground before back up to Whitehorse. The Sheriff moved over to her as he began to search her expression, moving his hand to rest gently on her shoulder.

"We were captured…by John. All part of an idiotic plan I had to try and save Hudson." She started, deciding to leave out her dreams or the voicemail at the Ranch or any of that. Swallowing hard she continued. "You know Noah….his anger and damn pride of his. I warned him not to let John get to him, not to snap back at him or generally piss him off more than he already had." 

"And of course that moron let his anger get the best of him." The sheriff said shaking his head, moving his hand from her shoulder and resting both on his own hips. Rebecca nodded in response as the Sheriff scoffed. "It's why I told him he couldn't go with us to arrest Joseph Seed in the first place." 

This was an admission that Rebecca wasn't prepared for, she always assumed her brother didn't want to go and was happy in Fall's End so told the Sheriff to take her. Knowing now, he had wanted to go but was denied made every action he had made since so much clearer.

"Yeah well, he didn't listen. John came at him with a crowbar. First to the knee and absolutely shattered it, then knocked him out." Her voice became partly hitched in her throat as the moment John attacked her brother came back as if it was playing out in front of her again. 

"Anyways, he was locked up and wounded badly. Somehow he got out, slapped the shittiest splint and tourniquet ever on that leg and made a run for it, he saved me from John, we escaped to Doverspike and he collapsed." She felt herself running out of air as she spat out the fast summary of the bunker and escape, taking a deep breath as she noticed the terrified look on the Sheriff's face causing her to continue quickly.

"He's alive. Nick, Jerome, all of them came for us, got him to the clinic in Holland Valley and the doctor there did what she could but he's not out of the woods yet." The look on Whitehorse's face changed from terror to general concern as he began to nod looking around.

"So you came here. We have what is needed for surgeries and all that but we don't have a doctor and running out of medications." Sheriff began moving his hand to his mustache as he stroked it in thought.

"Maybe there is something that you can do that will help both me and your brother out. We had a doctor here, a veterinarian really. Dr. Charles Lindsey, but kid was good at stitching the folks up, creating an antidote to the Bliss. He wouldn't be able to fix your brother's leg but he could at least keep infection away, manage pain and do what he could until we find ourselves someone who can fix it." Again he looked around as if in thought, this time Rebecca taking the chance to weigh in on the situation.

"Okay, get me a list of the medications we need or any other supplies, while I'm out maybe I can manage to scrounge some up. I'll find this Dr. Lindsey and bring him back here. While I'm at that I will begin clearing a route to bring Noah up here and you find someone who can fix his damn leg." She was determined more than ever, seeing some glimmer of hope they would be able to help her brother; but remember that even if they were in Hope County, hope was a hard thing to hold onto always being shattered one way or another.

"Be safe kid, talk to Tracey and Virgil before you head out they may have some things to help or something you can do along the way." Whitehorse said before moving to give Rebecca a hug, something most people wouldn't expect a superior officer to do for his Rookie Deputy but for Rebecca it was welcomed and missed.

"I will Uncle Earl." She smiled hugging him once more before going to find Grace and clue her in on their next mission.


	23. Chapter 23

Once they had resupplied, Rebecca talked to Virgil and Tracey about a couple things they wanted done; none of which were in the area she was going so for now it would have to wait, they headed out. For the first couple miles Grace and Rebecca kept silent, their eyes on the road as the wind blew past them towards the area that the doctor was last seen, however once they reached the spot and he was no where to be found their silence was replaced by creating a plan to find the man.

They began combing the area around them by foot, finding a few Resistance members who many hadn't seen a thing but finally they found a group who said several people were taken by the Peggie's to Mastodon State Park waiting for helicopters to come and airlift their prisoners to Faith's Gate or somewhere else in the county.  

Surprisingly, saving all those held on the platforms surrounding and in the middle of the thermal pools lead to no surprises and was quick and clean. For once luck was on Rebecca's side as she found Lindsey and after retrieving his bag of supplies from deep in the water they made their way back to the jail by nightfall. She wished the day had been more productive but for now they found the doctor they needed to keep her brother and his leg holding on.

That night she sat in the middle of the cell block where the Resistance converted into a partial mess hall, sitting at a table with the leaders of the Cougars, the Doc and Grace as they covered all that was found that day. Lindsey gave the names of physicians he knew of the area; some of which Whitehorse already confirmed were missing or dead, however they learned of the possibility of finding an old marine medic who was held up somewhere in the region. Rebecca tried to remember to hold hope, to not lose faith they would fix her brother but at the moment it was harder to, she found herself wondering how they would find all this and not lose hold in their fight against the cult.

"Tomorrow, I am going out on my own. I'm going to track down this medic, find supplies we need and scout any outposts or Peggie holdings I can so we can start liberating this region." She said as she picked at her food not even looking up.

"Rook…" Grace began but Rebecca held her hand up in protest.

"I need you to go and begin clearing the route for Noah to be brought up here, scout any outposts along the way and get as much information as you can. Once we find this medic and most of the supplies, we will meet back here and plan to liberate those on our way to get him." She looked up at her plate looking at Grace, who simply nodded and stood from her place at the table.  

"I'll head out now. Easier to scout at night." Was all she said before the sniper left the room to get her gear and head out on her task. For once, Rebecca was happy to feel separating their tasks would work the best for now, and that Grace and everyone else seemed to agree. 

"As for the rest of you, just keep doing as you have been finding intel, sticking it to the Cult and holding down the fort here." For now it was the best everyone could do and they seemed to know it. While everyone finished their meals and went back to conversing, Rebecca excused herself, walking outside to look at the stars letting her thoughts take her away.

 

\----- 

 

Clear nights like this were the most beautiful, nights where there was no gunfire close by and she could hear the natural come to life under the stars. She remembered going up on the roof of her uncle's house at night when they came to visit, when she would dream of one day being a Deputy with the department, having her own home just outside of Fall's End or along the Henbane River, dreaming of meeting the man of her dreams and having a family. Those dreams were so far away and those of a child, she knew now things would never be that way, not after all that had happened, and not after all the blood on her hands.

The Jail slowly wound down for the night and with only a few watchmen on the walls, she was alone with her thoughts. She had moved from standing in the yard to grabbing a few beers and hopping up on one of the higher points of the roof, sipping back a luke-warm one as she watched the stars. Her thoughts surprisingly did not go to her brother or remembering John's bunker as they drifted away from her dreams and how everything would never be the same again.

Her thoughts went back to the day before they ended in John's bunker, the day she was bathing in the water and Joseph Seed had appeared. She took a long drink as she remembered seeing him walk out of the woods into the sunlight along the water, his chiseled and tattooed chest moving slowly up and down with every breath, when he entered the water and some splashed onto his skin he would glisten like a golden statue. She shook her head quickly as she tossed her bottle over the wall to the other side her own thoughts catching her off guard.

Was she feeling some kind of sick attraction to the man who many of her friend would call the Devil? Was she finding herself intrigued by him? After the kindness and chivalry he had shown her that day she found herself curious about him, wanting to ask her questions she knew John would never answer if even did know, and more she found herself wondering about him. She found once again those questions that burned inside of her when she planned to be captured by John appearing, but this time she wouldn't be taking anyone with her, and she wouldn't bet on the kindness of someone who'd never shown it.

Reaching into her pack beside her she pulled out a copy of the Word of Joseph she had taken month's ago from one of the outposts she liberated. She had found herself time to time browsing through, finding most of the prophecy talk obnoxious and focused more on the times Joseph spoke of himself and his brothers and their paths towards Eden's Gate. She wondered how much was the truth and how much was just bullshit to romanticize his followers, there wasn't much he had written about himself but enough for her to decide along with how he treated her at that creek she could trust he wouldn't kill her like his siblings may be inclined to do.

She set the book aside as she dug further, finding the old Peggie radio she had taken and turning it on slowly, taking the transmitter for her earbud from her own radio and putting it into the cultist one. Slowly she turned the dial, at first only hearing a playback of one of their religious songs about Faith finding herself tapping her foot along to it; truth was their songs weren't all that bad, sure the words behind them were kind of crazy but the music itself was sort of calming. She felt herself relaxing more as she finished her second beer she nearly jumped out of her skin hearing a voice come across the radio.

"Deputy, I was wondering when the radio you had taken would come online." She knew that voice  

"Joseph." She answered clicking the talk button. "How'd you know?"

"We have all of our radios with a chip that allows us to know which ones are active and which aren't. My brother had taken note which number you had taken." He held a slight amusement in his voice which made her chuckle again, of course he would find a way to keep track of his cultists and their radios.

"Can we talk?" She asked him, holding the radio up to her head almost in disbelief she asked that. 

"Not on this channel. Destroy this radio and contact me on channel 7." He answered, and with that the music began again.

She removed the transmitter and placed it back in her own radio, attaching it to her belt as she set the other radio down, standing up to stomp it into bits. She felt a little out of breath, allowing some of that wrath deep inside break out as she continued to stomp until the radio was nothing but scattered tiny bits, falling back to sit on the roof as she stared at it a moment. Slowly she turned her radio to the channel he had told her, placing her hand on the button and the radio on her chest as she spoke into it. 

"Joseph?" she said quietly as she looked around making sure none of the Cougars were near by, waiting for him to answer her.


	24. Reaching Out

"Rebecca." This time he didn't use her title, he called her by her name and it was almost smooth like honey as it came to her ears. 

"I have some questions for you, but I don't think the radio is the best place to ask." She answered as she looked around knowing anyone could over hear her at any moment, pulling her map out of her bag and turning her attention to it.

"Then what is it you wish to discuss with me, Rebecca?" He asked. Honestly she wasn't sure why she turned on that radio and now came to this channel when she couldn’t ask her questions or even was sure what they would be.

She paused as she tried to think of a place they could meet, but knowing it could be days before she could scout and clear a cabin of either Cultists or redirect any of the Cougars from it so she continued to look at her map, not realizing how long she had been silent.

"Rebecca?" He asked her again, snapping her out of her thoughts.  

"Yeah. Was just thinking, I can set up a camp somewhere if that's suitable for you." She answered as she began pinpointing a place.

"I can meet wherever you are wanting to meet, Rebecca." His voice was reassuring and she could almost swear he was wanting to meet her more than she did to ask her questions. Nodding as she moved her finger over the map she pinpointed a secluded area for camp, the only worry would be wildlife but she rather kill another bear than another person at the moment. 

"There's a road leading up the hills behind the Jail. Once I make camp I will let you know exactly where to meet." She said as she began packing her bag again. They agreed she would radio him in the morning once she had camp set, for now she was going to enjoy the stars as she hiked her way to the area. 

Stopping to make sure her equipment was set and she had all the gear she would need; including a new tent seeing as she left hers back in Holland Valley when John took her alone. Before leaving, instructed one of the Cougar's still awake to let Whitehorse and the rest know she decided to leave early and she would check in sometime in the afternoon.

It took her about an hour and a half to get to the general area she had told Joseph about, another two hours scouting out any patrols from either side until she found a perfect spot she was sure they wouldn't be disturbed and no one would come wandering through. It was hugging along the mountainside and in a small cutout from the trees; big enough she could make a decent camp and the trees surrounding would provide any cover she would need.

By the time she had made camp and found her exact coordinates it was already nearly 4 AM, soon the sun would rise and another day would begin. She sat down outside her tent in front of the fire as she picked up her radio, trying to decide if she should made the cult leader sweat waiting for her to answer in wonder if she changed her mind while she rested, but she knew the things on her mind wouldn't allow her to until they had.

"Joseph?" It wasn't long before a voice that sounded as if she had woken him responded.

"I was beginning to wonder." A light chuckle followed his response.

"Sorry, it took a while to find a place where none of your people or mine would come waltzing through. Figured none of them would be happy to see their leader talking with the enemy without any weapons at their head." She chuckled and shook her head at the thought of it.

 "That may be the best choice." He was always so practical in his responses it seemed, always had an answer. It was something she was counting on.

They were quick to the point when it came to giving him directions and forming a plan of when he would arrive. Being he was 'The Father' and all, it was harder for him to just sneak away so he informed her that he planned to leave after the morning sermon. She didn't ask what she would tell his people when he left,  only thanked him for agreeing to meet her.

Given it would be hours until he would even be able to leave his compound, Rebecca decided to rest hoping the promise her questions would be answered soon would let her sleep. Even if she couldn't she would take the quiet of the forest and relaxing by a fire without someone coming to ask her for another favor.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so excited for some upcoming chapters, I’ve spent a long while planning and writing; and rewriting. I love writing Joseph so I hope you all like reading!


	25. Joseph

Joseph had been waiting for days for that one radio to come online once John informed him of their escape and getting their hands on one of their radios. He almost was in disbelief when he saw the light come on the switchboard in his office back of his church to signal it had been turned on. It had taken him several minutes to finally convince himself to try and talk to whomever was on the other side, hoping deep inside it was Rebecca and not her wrathful brother who actively sought his death.

In the time it took for her to go find camp and set up he had sat staring at his own radio waiting for her to call on the channel he ensured would always be clear for her. In this he had hoped if she let him in some of his visions may not come true, however her brother would remain a threat to him and his.

 Rebecca's voice had caught him off guard when she finally was settled, he was allowing himself to sit deeply in meditation and prayer while in wait. He rarely slept anymore, not since the first seal had been broken. Most nights he would lose himself in reports and letters from his siblings with updates on the process of the Reaping or what else they had lost due to the Deputies.  In the nights he did manage to sleep he was plagued by nightmares of what was to come, sometimes reliving the horrors of his past.

 Mornings began early on the compound, by the time the radio call ended with Rebecca he was off on his rounds. Every morning he would walk the compound greeting his followers as they rose and made their way to their chores, check with the night watch if anything had changed before instructing the day guards for their posts. He was more than a preacher, than a Prophet, he was the Commander while his brother Jacob was the General. The one who his followers looked to for truly absolving of their sins while  John would be their Baptist. He was called the Father for a reason, and he had grown to love and take that name seriously.

As it neared time for the morning service he would enter the church alone, cleaning his hands and head with a bowl of water by the pulpit, nod to the women who were placing his book on the pews every few seats so everyone would have a chance to follow along while he spoke to them. When the church bell rang, each and every pew was filled, people lined up along the walls and at the back as he stood before them, taking in every face remembering every name of his people.

As usual he found himself falling deeply and passionately into the sermon, his thundering voice filling the small church as people cheered and rejoiced, their singing voices dwarfing his in the final hymn.

"Today, I will be walking out into the same forest some of you or our Brothers and Sisters walk every day. I want to walk where you have, see for my own eyes once again this beautiful county as I walk the hills in communion with God." His voice was the same calm and instructing way it was, assuring his flock all would be well while asserting his dominance over them all. 

"In this time, continue with your work and know even if I am not here, I am with you. When the great Collapse comes we shall all be together and user in a new world, marching to Eden together!" He raised his hands towards the end of his speech as he closed his eyes, listening to once again his flock cheer and give a few 'Praise the Father' variations. With that he ended the service, resting his hand on the shoulders of the few that remained as he passed by them on his way out of the church.

If he left now he would make it to Rebecca's camp just before the time he told her to expect him, and some how knowing where he was going he felt his feet quicken towards his car, his heart beating a little faster than normal. He began to convince himself it was because he may be able to bring another soul into his care and in doing such the bloodshed shared by both sides may calm.


	26. Chapter 26

She had only slept maybe two hours before she woke from another nightmare. She relived the events of her brothers injury and rushing him to the cLinux. This time her worst terror came to life as he died before they could even get him into the clinic doors. She woke in a cold sweat rolling over her trembling limbs, shaking her head as she wiped the tears she didn't even realize had fallen. Climbing out of her tent and deciding to stoke the fire, she walked over to one of the trees near her that had low hanging branches along with twigs and perfect tinder gathered below. Standing there she stood at the tree staring at it before she took her axe and began to hack away at all the limbs letting all the anger, the hurt and frustration out on the tree until she was surrounded with more than enough wood to keep her fire going for days if she wanted.

She waited by the fire for a while before she decided to go on a hunt, figuring these sermon's of Joseph's took time just by the one she witnessed the night she tried to arrest him. She managed to find a couple rabbits; figured they would be fine for the time being plenty of protein and she had ate well while at the clinic and the Jail, finished her last beer while she just waited not knowing if he was really going to come meet her, or if she set herself up for another trap the longer she sat in front of her fire. 

 

Slowly he walked through the trees, resting his hand upon the bark of the ones he passed as he listened to the birds in the trees and occasional animals scurrying around the forest bed. He had left the road some time ago, choosing to walk farther than he needed to through the forest, praying and meditating on his own thoughts as he walked towards the small amount of smoke that was growing closer, right where she had told him to find her.  

He paused as he reached her camp, stood observing the woman sitting by the fire prodding it with her knife causing embers to dance in the air above the fire. He smiled a moment, surprised she actually was sitting there, waiting for him to meet her.

 

"Rebecca."

His voice once again snapped her out of her thoughts as it had many times before. She stood up quickly, holding her knife out as she looked at him approaching her as he had at the creek, causing her to laugh placing her knife back in its spot on her belt and look up at him.

"I began to wonder if you would even show up." 

"I had things I had to tend to before hand, I did not mean to keep you waiting very long." He said as he walked towards her, lowering his hands in the process. 

"I get it. If I didn't leave before dawn it would have been hours before I could have left myself."

 

She chuckled again as she walked over to him, meeting him part way in the small clearing just before the camp. They stood there just staring at each other for a moment before either said anything. Rebecca studying his eyes, his face, even allowing her gaze to take a moment to look over the rest of him after all even with who he was, he was a good looking man and she was only human. Joseph stood there watching her study him, his own eyes watching hers a moment before studying and memorizing her, how she breathed how she stood and subtly would shift her weight. He found himself pondering a moment too long causing him to clear his throat as he looked down at his own hands, bringing them together and begin massaging the rosary wrapped around his hand, pressing it further against his skin.

"You said you had questions." He didn't look up, he didn't move.

"Yeah… I have a few of them. I don't know if you can answer them, maybe no one can but….I figured you would be a start."

He nodded looking up to her with a smile, moving his hand to motion towards the fire. She simply nodded and they both walked to sit down again in silence as she tried to collect her thoughts. 

"John, Jacob, you….you are all really brothers."

 He nodded to her. 

"But Faith…she is Rachel Jessop. Or that’s what people say."

The Father looked to Rebecca taking a deep breath as he rubbed his rosary between two of his fingers.

"She is Faith. She had chosen to leave what life she had before and become born something new, become part of something bigger than herself." 

For now, Rebecca wouldn't ask any more about Faith or who she used to be or even the region she was in. She didn't care to talk about those things, she decided long ago details of their war either sides would be better off not discussed, even if some things needed to be mentioned.

 

"John….He wasn't always this way was he?"

"No. As a child he was kind and loving, a light in the darkness. Unfortunately this world as it has turned and corrupted many of us had done so to him. Even when I had found him, rescued him from the darkest depths of his addictions….of his Sins"

Again he began rubbing the rosary's ropes that were around his hand taking a deep breath.

"Joseph, you are not responsible for all your brother does. You cannot control that, you cannot save everyone especially from themselves."

She moved her hand to rest on his looking to his eyes. She believed her words wholeheartedly, it hadn't taken her long to realize how much of the horrors happening in Holland Valley and more than likely most the County besides Joseph's own island were left to his siblings with him having given instructions however the means left to their own vices. Joseph looked back up at her, looking into her eyes as she looked into his, his expression unchanging but his eyes almost seeming softer and thankful in that moment.

"I have warned him many times. His Sin will be his undoing, and there is nothing I will ever be able to do to stop that." 

Rebecca swallowed hard hearing him say the same words he had in the voicemail back at the Ranch, the same things she was told in her dream. Moving her hand off of his she hugged her arms around her knees as she stared to the fire once again, watching the flames dance around as she replayed it all in her head once more.

 

"I have these…nightmares."

Her voice was shaky and soft as she began trying to explain everything to him, trying not to feel like she was absolutely insane as she did. His attention was turned fully on her as he moved to sit more comfortably, one leg up with his elbow resting on his knee, his rosary hanging freely from his hand. 

"Sometimes I just relive things that had happened. The night I tried to arrest you and this county went to hell, when John had captured me alone and held me at the ranch and then the bunker…My brother almost dying in front of my eyes." She cleared her throat again as her eyes fixated on the fire to hold her to continue.

"At first it was always just reliving it all. Every single moment good and bad. Then they began changing. Things began happening different than they had, new things happening. The first time….was John's bunker when I was alone. No emergency came up, no one came in telling him he had to attend to something urgently leaving me alone in there and I was able to escape." 

 

Again she paused, not wanting to look up at the man who she was about to tell of how even in her dreams the brother he so desperately wanted to save terrorized her.

"Did you know…when I was down there he stabbed me in the leg because I wouldn't say Yes to him?" She looked over to Joseph who's face was still as he listened to her, no look of shock or surprise to her question.

"Yeah…That part happened for real, but in the dream it was much worse. That part doesn't matter, him stabbing me doesn't matter I lived, it healed. " She cleared her throat as she looked forward again.

 "I asked if he was always this way because…in my dream when he realized he could be killing me with that knife, he began tending to it. Stopping the bleeding, being almost too caring and hands on with it all." She smirked again thinking of it.

"Then he began telling me of how his brother, how the Father had been warning him that if he did not show more love in his heart his Sin would kill him."

 

Slowly she looked over to Joseph, this time the look on his face was of intrigue leaving her unsure if he could help her figure it all out but she had to continue on.

"Then he said maybe I should show more now…I woke up screaming as he leaned towards me." She chuckled shaking her head, leaving it to be her own way of dealing with that thought.

They were both quiet after she finished telling him of her dream, she was not ready to give anything else and needed time to collect the several emotions moving through her before she tried. Joseph continued to look over her, his eyes studying her giving her time in the quiet before he would try to react in anyway, digesting all she had said.

 They sat there in silence for what felt like forever, the fact Joseph said nothing worrying her, the fact she was so quiet and still intriguing him.

"I have had visions and dreams of all my siblings meeting their ends. I have accepted God's plan for me, I have picked up the responsibility he had set before me. " His voice finally had broken the silence, Rebecca fully tuned into his voice and his words as her eyes looked directly into his, knowing it was his truth.

 

"I will never stop trying to save my brothers, to save my family. If their lives must end they will mean something towards what is to come, but I will always try to direct them to a different path if God shows it to me."  His eyes were intense, his voice meeting them as he looked directly back into her eyes, moving his hand to take hers gently.

"I will never give up on my brother either."

She said as she met his hand, an action that surprised her but felt like it was what was needed in that moment. Strangely, Joseph and Rebecca dealt with very similar inner battles, trying desperately to save their brothers in different manners but the same reason threatening it being a possibility.

"I am terrified…he will die. I accept whatever happens to me, but I have to save him." Her voice became choked up as she ripped her hand from his after they had barely touched, standing quickly to her feet.

 

"Did John tell you what he did?" She asked while walking to the other side of the fire, not turning back as she stared into the forest.

"He did." 

"And you did nothing about it."

"Why do you think he didn't chase you both all the way back to Doverspike? Back to the clinic?"

Her spine froze, her hands slowly tensing into balled fists as she took a deep breath trying to calm her anger rising in that moment. Joseph stood, walking to her and resting his hand on her shoulder gently, leaning just enough towards her ear so she could hear his whispered voice.

"John will not be doing that again. I have warned him what will occur if he lets his own sin control him so far, if you and your brother are killed by it."

 

He moved his hand to turn her to face him, looking down into her eyes with a gentle gaze. She turned slowly nearly pushing her shoulder into his chest as she did before she stood straight in front of him, her eyes searching his trying desperately to find what so many said she would. Desperately looking for the deception, knowing not to trust him yet wanting to at least with this.

"We will never join your flock. I don't want to talk about religion or your mission to save as many as you can because how you are going about it all is wrong Joseph."

"We will never join your flock. I don't want to talk about religion or your mission to save as many as you can because how you are going about it all is wrong Joseph."

Her voice had calmed, steady mimicking how he often spoke to her or his flock. She knew she would never join the Project, she would never be a Peggie and neither would her brother. She had her own beliefs and would never allow someone to dictate what she should, especially the man who was ultimately responsible for all that was happening around her.

Joseph simply nodded in understanding, promising her that unless she had brought the topic of it all up he would not and that he would answer any questions she had now or in the future.

"I can't stop helping the Resistance either. Not with all John has done, Faith and Jacob are doing. If people need my help I will help them come what may. Do not make me come for you, Joseph."

 She looked into his eyes, the fire inside hers fully in flame as her voice expressed the seriousness of her words.

"John will pay for what he did…especially if Noah dies." Her jaw clenched as she fought falling into the thought of it. "Or looses his leg."

 

Joseph said nothing, moving his hand to gently cup her jawline his thumb rubbing gently in attempt to relax her clenched jaw. Rebecca unmoving by it as she just looked at him, shaking her head softly as a sigh escaped her lips. For a moment he almost felt himself leaning in towards her, stopping himself in the shock at his near fall into  it, clearing his throat as he stepped away from her, moving his hand to scratch his beard a moment in contemplation.

 "Whatever you need to save your brother's life I will trade on one condition."

"Name it." She said without hesitation, ready to walk straight into the depths of hell for her brother.

 "Promise you will do all you can to avoid killing my brothers or sister. I accept you must fight, I knew you would the moment you stepped into my compound. Promise you will do your best not to kill them and I will make sure whatever is needed to save your brothers life and his leg is delivered to you."

She said nothing, nodding in agreement as she walked past him, stepping into the tent and grabbing the list of things she needed handing it to him.

"I need all the things on this list. Hopefully I can handle finding the physician who can do it." 

Joseph took the list reading it over, for the first time she had seen it he smiled with a small laugh accompanying it.

"Meet me here later tonight, I will get back as soon as I can."  With that, he turned and walked away, disappearing into the tree line with Rebecca standing there watching, wondering if this all really just happened, and how much she was willing to trust Joseph Seed to actually come through with the supplies and medication.

 


	27. Chapter 27

He wasn't sure how long he had been in that bed, stuck unable to get up and move just waiting to hear anything besides the occasional vague updates Rebecca would radio in with. The longer he was stuck there; unable to go out and do his job, unable to be there to protect his sister, unable to do anything, the angrier he became.  Noah was never known for his patience, for his ability to sit and wait. The military had helped him learn to hold some patience; at least when it came to being out in the field, but when it came to just being unable to be productive it was near to impossible.

"She should be back by now. We should be getting this fucking leg fixed and back out there getting closer to ending this damn thing." He said angerly as tossed the book Mary May had left him across the room. 

"Well partner, would you rather she does it the safe way, the right way. Or be quick and reckless out there? She's near Faith Seed for cryin' out loud, that woman is not to be taken lightly."  Nick always had a way of getting a point across while all the same joking around.

"Alright I get your point. I just hate being stuck here." He sighed looking over to his friend.

"Just be patient Noah, she'll get it done."

 

With that, just those few words exchanged some how he was able to calm himself. Nick was always good at reminding him of priorities; even before the 'Reaping' had began, but Noah still hated the state of things now more than before.

 "Yeah, she will. I just hate not being out there with her." Noah sighed as he grabbed his coffee mug off the table next to the bed taking a long sip.

"Soon as I am able to get out of this or any bed and walk again. I'm killing John Seed."

Noah said nothing else, Nick smirked as he pushed off the windowsill over to a chair, sitting down putting his feet up. For the rest of the afternoon they didn't talk about the subject just random things like how Nick was trying to amp himself up for the fact his son would be born soon; only for Noah to try telling him what everyone did --- the baby is a girl, tell stories about random funny moments that had happened in life, anything to pass the time as they waited for word on the progress Rebecca was making.

 

\----------------------

 

Kicking dirt over the fire as she placed her pack and guns back where they belonged, Rebecca wasn't going to just wait there for the possibility Joseph Seed may come back with the supplies she needed. She trusted enough to hope he would but she had a task she left herself with; finding someone who could save her brothers leg.

 Before everyone turned in for the night and before Rebecca left the Jail she remembered Virgil telling her about someone who wasn't a surgeon but may have enough know how to help her brother, along with the tip that there may be medical books hoarded at the Jones residence. If she couldn't find a doctor who had the experience, she could find the book that may have enough information for one of the people running the triage center at the Jail or even the Doc at the clinic herself to fix her brothers leg.

She managed to find a car off the side of the main road; one of those 'Sinner' vehicles that seemed to occasionally dot the county as the cult ran someone off the road and took them by force. She chose not to think of it as she loaded her bag and things inside setting them on the passenger's seat before climbing into the drivers seat, grabbing the keys that were discarded on the floor and turning the ignition.  It didn't run the best but she was glad it at least still ran, she had a couple miles to go from her campsite and wanted to get things done quickly so she was back before Joseph returned; if he actually did.

Thumbs tapping the steering wheel, singing loudly along to Barracuda by Heart which was blaring on the radio. The window was rolled down allowing the fresh air to travel through the car as she felt herself become a little lost in the drive remembering the times she would just drive through the county or the roads back home just to clear her head. Feeling a little bit of peace she hadn't felt in a long while she reached for her radio, turning it to the frequency for her brother figuring now was a good time for an update.

 

"Noah. You there?"

 "Was wondering when you were going to finally check in today. Sleep in or some shit?"

 She couldn't help but laugh at him.

"Did some hunting, did some scouting. Was enjoying a quiet morning for a while."

She could never tell him the truth of that morning, or the truth of how she would get the medication and equipment they needed. She needed to find a way to make it believable suddenly realizing having Joseph just bring it all to her at the campsite would be hard to explain finding everything they needed.

"Ah, what did you find?"

"Hunting was a bust just a couple rabbits but they were good."

"Save me a leg?"

"Nah sorry, too busy trying to save your other one."

 

They always would bring humor into situations like this one, as much as it irritated and hurt them both for him to be in the situation he was, she knew humor was the only way to talk about it. Noah was silent on his end.

 "But uh, I found some intel that the medications and gear we will need may be at one of the outposts here in the Henbane region. I'm thinking either the convent they took over or the Sacred Skies camp." 

She paused, waiting to hear him answer hoping he would believe it.

 "Sounds good, you taking Grace with you there?" 

Rebecca bit her lip as she pondered.

"No, I'm going to take care of them myself. I heard that Miss Mable is still around with Peaches, thinking of going to pay a visit and see if I can't borrow her while I'm around her. That cat knows the region I figure even if Miss Mable never had her go any where far."

"Sounds good. I'm going to rest Rook. Radio me tomorrow and let me know how it goes."

 

With that, Rebecca just gave herself two new missions. Asking Joseph if he could arrange for the supplies; and maybe a few other things so it wouldn’t look suspicious to be waiting for her at an outpost and hoping he wouldn't become upset over the fact she would have to take said outpost, and go to see Miss Mable about Peaches.

It didn't take her long to clear both the locations she had tips about someone with the knowledge to help her brother were last seen. Unfortunately both locations were empty with evidence that the people there either were killed, taken by the Cult or managed to get out of the county just before everything went to hell.  Rebecca sat on the floor staring at one of the large stack of books that stood before her lining the wall of the bunker staring blankly at the titles as she tried to scan through them. Feeling at a loss that the last hope to find someone who was actually a doctor or surgeon was around and knowing that now it relied on people who weren't sure what they were doing to save her brother's leg, she knew she had to find some kind of medical journal or book of some kind to at least help whomever would be stuck doing the surgery; even if it was her.

She searched through all those books everywhere inside the house and bunker and managed to find two possible books that may be able to help along with some select other useful materials she decided were best not left behind.  Rebecca began looking around, checking her watch to notice the time and began to ponder. She had brought most of her things with her; only her tent and sleeping gear were left at her camping spot and the house was secluded enough with a bunker cozy enough just in case she felt she could safely meet with Joseph without disturbance.

Stepping up the ladder she began to look up at the evening sky, looking around her for miles as she began to see rainclouds form in a distance a perk of Big Sky Country.

 

"Guess that settles it…" She said to herself as she chuckled reaching for her radio and turning it to channel seven.

"Hello?" She spoke directly into the radio having left the transmitter and her earbuds in her pack every once in a while they were annoying as hell to wear.

"Hello, Rebecca." He answered back. For some reason it made her smile to hear his reply and not to be called Deputy or Rook becoming far too rare to hear her own name said by someone.

"I wanted to let you know, I am not going back to the campsite tonight. It was getting late by the time I cleared the last place and there is a storm rolling in."

She looked up at the sky as she heard thunder slowly begin to rumble over the hills. In his compound Joseph was standing outside his church looking at the same storm in the distance.

"I was going to suggest finding someplace else. I do not doubt you can handle yourself, however being in a tent during a large storm is never wise." He held himself back from trying to say the few phrases he wished, quoting a verse or saying perhaps it is an overshadow of what is to come yet he found himself enjoying being able to just speak to someone who wasn't expecting something great being made out of every action.

"I am at the Jones residence. It's quiet, its secluded. The house is trashed but the bunker is alright for tonight. I don't know if you got all I asked for but I was thinking…" 

"Many of the items you requested have already been at Eden's Convent, I have already sent more with the instructions to not touch unless I have personally instructed them to do so. I know you plan to liberate the region and that will be a good place and believable to have found on your own."

Again his voice was matter of fact, leaving no room for questioning. Rebecca nodded as she thought it over, it was the perfect cover and no one would know the wiser. Cultists would believe perhaps their Father just wished to examine the items before use or something, Cougar's would call it a big win of supplies.

"That works. Thanks, Joseph."

 

She walked to her car grabbing her gear and making her way down into the bunker, leaving the door open so she could still hear anything that was happening outside; the entrance being inside a wood shed would mean no chance of rain or anything from the storm coming in. Throwing her stuff onto one end of the couch she plopped herself onto the other staring up at the ceiling, trying to decide if she should check in with her brother again or the Jail…or if she wanted to try and get more of her answers from Joseph.

After she had thanked him, he had grown quiet on his end not saying another word, nor giving any response or asking anything of her. It was strange, but she was almost thankful he didn't. Her body felt exhausted, she had two small wins today and a little more faith that everything with her brother would be okay. The storm slowly began rolling in up above and the sound of rain hitting the shed outside and thunder roll through the skies relaxed her.

Kicking her boots off she sat up moving her guns to rest next to the couch  in front of the boxes of canned food except for her pistol which she moved under the cushion nearest where her head would lay, grabbing two pillows from the bunk beds in the other room. Checking around one last time she sighed happily.

She left her radio on channel seven; deciding if he wanted to say anything more or she worked up the nerve to ask more questions it would be best to leave it there, resting it on her chest as she reached back and turned the small box stereo to play the local Resistance music station on low as she laid back closing her eyes, once again drifting off to sleep this time for longer than two hours.


	28. Peaches

She had managed to actually sleep five hours without a nightmare, feeling rested when she woke up for the first time in a long while. Her dreams that night simply were of her conversation with Joseph, getting up the nerve to tell him more of the things she was feeling or curious about. In her dream she found herself more comfortable with him than she was when he was actually sitting beside her, she felt safe and almost like she never wanted to leave that place. 

Rebecca was feeling a strange pull towards the man she had swore to take down and destroy the cult he brought into the valley, strangely finding herself hoping to find a way to deal with his siblings in another way besides killing them. She didn't just promise him that to get him to agree to bring her whatever she wanted; in all truth she hated the idea of more killing and with John she could see something inside that maybe if Joseph had more time he would be able to bring out of his brother. Deep inside she knew her own brother would never agree to the terms and he would go for all of them, deep inside she wanted to just make sure he didn't kill Joseph. 

_"What the hell are you thinking Becks…"_

She thought to herself as she stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around her body as she wiped the steam from the mirror looking at herself in the mirror almost not recognizing herself anymore.

 _"He's not a good man, he is why all this is happening."_  

She was fighting a battle within herself, a battle to do what was needed to free the county or to listen to what she felt in her gut that Joseph may be on to something and that he wasn't as evil as many thought. She began thinking of how Joseph reacted in hearing all his brother had done, trying to assure her it wouldn't happen again. She remembered him warning her not to go through with her plan in the first place, desperately wishing she had listened.

 _"There is a job to do. It doesn't matter how you feel."_  

She sighed as she walked out of the bathroom into the main living area of the small bunker. Grabbing a pair of jeans and a tank top she dressed quickly, combing her hair back into a ponytail once again and lacing up her boots, ready to take on the day.

 

Her first stop was to Peaches Taxidermy, hoping to just convince Miss Mable to let her take the strangely tamed and well trained mountain lion that was known to most in the county. However, things are never that easy for Rebecca instead she had to track the cat down, kill a few more cultists and then guide her back to her pen before Miss Mable would even consider the conversation.

"I promise I'll take care of her. It's better than keeping her locked up and hoping those cultists don't come back to your home shooting the place up looking for her isn't it?"

"Yeah whatever get her out of here before I change my damn mind. You Italian's I swear."

Mable went back into her house lighting another cigarette as Rebecca went to go get Peaches from her kennel, laughing at the thought the woman could confuse someone of Scandinavian descent for Italian but that was Mable. 

"Ready to go Peaches?"

She asked as she neared the door, throwing a few of her treats back into her pack for later. The big cat stretched and yawned before walking lazily over to the door, Rebecca cautiously opening it at first before Peaches came strolling out, stretching again before looking back at Rebecca.

"Alright…just saving the county from Faith with the help of a cougar…normal Montana stuff."

She chuckled as she spoke to herself, patting Peaches on the head as they made their way to Eden's Convent.

 

\-----------------------------

 

She found herself the perfect sightline along one of the ridges surrounding the convent, scanning with her rifle to find the alarms, snipers and any guards on the property keeping an eye out for any innocents to make sure didn't get stuck in any cross fire. It was always the same routine when it came to the Peggie outposts. Take out the alarms, snipers and then deal with whoever is left making sure to rescue anyone they had captured in the process.

She held her breath as she zoomed her scope in to look at the first alarm, slowly pulling the trigger and watching as the bullet shot through the box disabling it quickly. Moving to the next one, same actions, leaving her breath held in her lungs as she held steady….clean shot through. As she moved her sights towards one of the snipers on the roof her body froze as she watched a familiar figure walk out of the front doors of the convent raising his hands as he spoke to those nearby.

 

_"What is he doing here…? I thought he had already left the supplies here. Shit I knew I should have asked."_

Rebecca sat back on her foot lowering her rifle as she whistled softly to get her feline companions attention, calling for her to lay down next to her. She sat and waited as she watched Joseph speak to each person in the convent, walking into the different buildings a few times before he began to walk to an old mustang painted white with the cultist cross on the top of it. She began to feel a ping in her gut as she prepared to take out the cultists who stayed back, suddenly feeling herself hesitate at doing what she needed to liberate the location.

_"He made you the killer you are Becks. You never would be doing this if he didn't instruct them out here."_

She tried her best to convince herself as her rifle moved its sights to one of the snipers back on his perch atop one of the roofs.

 

_"Just do it…"_

 

Small beads of sweat began to pearl on her forehead, for the first time she felt her rifle shaking in her hands. Joseph had told her he would leave all she needed her, he acknowledged she would have to kill some of his flock and wouldn't stop trying to save people from his siblings. She wanted to believe he was appalled at least by most of their behavior but knew ultimately he was behind it all and allowed it to happen.

 She swallowed her thoughts hard as she took a deep breath, aiming to the snipers head as she squeezed the trigger. No going back now, she had to kill every last one of them fighting back and clear this outpost if she wanted the supplies inside. It wasn't just for Noah, this area being cleared would mean a bigger foothold in the Cougar's Resistance efforts, she wasn't giving up on them even if she felt any conflictions or confusion. Liberating Hope County from the chaos of a doomsday cult was still necessary, it was still her goal after saving her own brother.

It happened so quickly yet moments seem to freeze. Peaches launching from their perch on the hill as she would stalk then pounce those who were out of Rebecca's sightline. She would shoot as many as she could until finally the outpost was silent, only movement she could see was that of Peaches walking around the compound. Sighing softly she placed her sniper on her back walking down the hill, searching through the first building for the supplies Joseph said he would leave her.

 

When she came to the main chapel building, sitting right on top of a podium was a box with a note attached, suddenly Rebecca realized it was the last building Joseph was in, and she didn't see any of the Peggies go in there after he left. Tossing one of the treats she had in her pocket to Peaches, Rebecca cautiously approached the podium, taking the note off the box reading it as she used her other arm to take the box off the podium and set it on the floor.

 

**_Rebecca,_ **

****

**_I hope this will help your brother, I have included instructions on treating his type of wounds in a book at the bottom of the box. Unfortunately, with the Reaping not many physicians let alone surgeon's remain in Hope County. Not ones that would be easily explained why they would be assisting you, given their strong devotion to me and the Project. I know you had to kill the men and women guarding this outpost, I know you will kill many more on your journey to free this county. I have known long before you came into my church, long before I found my brothers how things will go. I am not angry with you, I understand you feel the need to continue. Know that if you ever want a break from the weight of the blood on your hands and the expectations of people have put on your shoulders, you know how to reach me._ **

****

**_Joseph_ **

 

Rebecca stood in shock as she read the note over and over, trying to understand how this man could be okay with her essentially destroying all he had build and worked for. How he could even be willing to offer her a break from it all without worrying of expectations.  Taking out her zippo lighter from her front pocket she lit the note on fire, throwing it over a box of bliss flowers   just outside the window of the chapel letting it all burn. She had all she needed to help her brother, just had to make sure the road from the clinic to the jail would be safe and they would be able to save him.

Taking her radio off her belt she turned it to the Cougars frequency at the Jail.

"Cougars, anyone copy? This is Rook."

She hated using Deputy or Rook but it was what everyone else called her these days.

"This is Whitehorse."

"Sheriff, I found all the medical equipment and medications we will need for Noah and then some. Turns out the convent was a jackpot. It's clear now if you want to send some Cougars to take over. "

"Sounds good Rook, bring that stuff back here to the Jail and we can arrange how we will get that brother of yours back here. Did you find the doc?"

She sighed softly as she looked down to the box as she loaded it into the back of one of the trucks she planned on taking with her.

"They are all gone. I found some medical journals so hopefully the Doctor at the Clinic or Lindsey can read this and figure out what to do." 

Climbing into the cab of the truck and turning on the ignition she tapped the radio to her forehead as she waited for an answer.

"Lindsey can do it. Bring those supplies and books back here and he will get set up while we go get Noah."

"Sounds good, see you soon Sheriff."

 

She tossed the radio onto the other side of the front seat as she backed out of the convent, making her way towards the Jail. Every once in a while she would laugh looking back at the bed of the truck, watching Peaches let the wind flow through her fur or eventually just lay down and look happy as they continued to drive.

 _"Just like a big  house cat mixed with a hound dog."_  she thought to herself as she chuckled lightly. Things were looking up, she had the gear, she had some of her questions answered from Joseph and she was going to get her brother help.


	29. Chapter 29

Rebecca found herself pinching her own arm a time or two on their way back from the Clinic. She drove ahead of the small convoy in one of the trucks she managed to find near a prepper stash while Nick flew above them and Grace drove the van that held Noah and the doctor along with Boomer. So far, the roads were clear they found a route they could take without needing to liberate any outposts; figuring it would be best to wait and really piss Faith off until her brother was back on his feet, but some of the drive was through the dirt back country roads where they constantly had to keep watch for patrols and roaming deer.

"Nearly there, how you doin back there?" 

She clicked the button on her radio she holstered to her shoulder so she could easily communicate as she drove.

"Well, if we could avoid any more huge bumps that would be fuckin' great."

"Yeah, yeah I'll try. Jus hang tight the Jail is just up ahead."

 

Pulling her truck to park near the old checkpoint box in front of the parking lot, Rebecca hopped out looking around the perimeter as the large gate opened to allow the van with Noah to park inside. Things were quiet, still even and it gave her an uneasy feeling in her bones.

"Becks, you comin?"

Her brother called out from his gurney as they unloaded him, the large gates closing slowly.

 "Yeah, you guys just get him inside and get set up. I'm going to check the perimeter."

 

She grabbed her rifle from where it attached on her pack, throwing the pack itself over her shoulders as she began to walk around the perimeter of the jail. Something didn't feel quite right and she couldn’t put her finger on it. It felt like the calm before the storm, something big was coming soon but she had no clue what it could be.

"Rook, they are ready to start inside."

The voice came from over the wall just above her, looking up she smiled seeing Tracey standing guard near one of the towers.

"Alright, let me know if you see anything out here okay?"

"You know it."

 

Moving her gun back to its rightful place when it wasn't in use she hurried her way to one of the smaller doors into the main gates. As she passed the people inside who were hard at work with inventory or reinforcing the gates and walls she would nod trying to hurry past them so she could see her brother before he went under.

They had rearranged Virgil's temporary office into an operating room, his desk being used as the doctors utensil table along with whatever else they may need the space for, and her brother sat on a lifted cot in the middle. She forced a smile as she walked over to him, taking his hand firmly in hers as she looked down at her brother.

 "Now you don't do something stupid like go into some light while they have you under okay?"

"As long as you don't go get yourself killed out there while I'm healin' sis."

She smiled leaning down to kiss his forehead.

"We have way too much to do. I'll keep the fight going until you can join us don't you worry about me."

 

They squeezed each others hands as she looked up at Dr. Lindsey as he nodded signifying they were ready to begin. She paused a moment holding her brothers hand before the Sheriff ushered her out, both of them going into the mess hall.

"He's tough kid, he's going to be just fine."

Whitehorse patted her on the back giving her a reassuring smile, Rebecca just nodded as she walked over to get herself a cup of coffee.

“I can’t just sit here and wait again.”

She exclaimed as she set the mug back down turning to her uncle.

“Just let me know when he’s awake, least I can do now is go clear an outpost or something. With Noah or without we have so much to do before there’s a chance of real resistance against Faith.”

 

Whitehorse didn’t protest, he knew his niece well and she never was one for being idol waiting when she could be taking some kind of action. He nodded walking over to place a hand on her shoulder before getting himself some coffee offering a simple ‘Be Safe’ and not to worry about Noah until he was able to join her. Truth was he knew Rebecca could handle the cult and the work ahead until his nephew could join her when real hell would rain down on the cult from them both.

She walked back to one of the side rooms to change clothes before heading out. Her style didn’t change too much from her day to day typically a pair of jeans and her boots with her pistol strapped to her hip and leg. Staring at her old leather jacket she hadn’t worn since she survived both a helicopter and truck crash in the same night. Her fingers moved over to the patched sleeve that Mary May fixed, chucking to see the Ryes Aviation patch on the  other sleeve that Nick must have bribed her to put on. Sliding on a black tank before the jacket she smiled feeling the cool weather over her skin.

“Looks good.”

She nearly jumped out of her skin as she turned around to see Grace standing in the door way.

“Yeah, feels more like myself.”

 

They chuckled as Rebecca put her gear on her back checking one last time with the shop to make sure she had all she would need.  As she neared the door she turned around to face her friend.

“Grace, I’m going on this alone. Well, I’ll have Peaches but I need you here. I have a feeling something is coming and I need someone here I know can handle it until I get back.”

Grace shifted her weight before nodding.

”If Noah asked you left without telling me shit.”

“Deal. Thanks Grace.”

She gave a quick wave as she walked out the door, whistling for Peaches who came scurrying to her side with a quick squeak as she nuzzled Rebecca’s hand. She still couldn’t shake the feeling something was coming; not knowing if it was for the Jail or herself, so knowing she didn’t have to worry about her brother and her friends being behind defensible walls gave her comfort.

 

—————

 

She had managed to liberate Nolan’s Fly Shop with minimal issues once again falling into the same routine as every other outpost. Peaches found herself a comfortable place to lay as she gnawed on a goat leg while Rebecca walked through the building searching for intel on Faith and her operations finding location of one of her shrines.

 

As always before moving on she radioed Whitehorse to let him know she had liberated the Fly Shop, whistling for Peaches as she listened to his update on her brother.

 

“Surgery was successful Rook. He woke up a little while ago. Doc said….”

 

Suddenly her eyesight began to blur as her mind began to feel a fog, Whitehorse’s voice slowly fading away as her body collapsed to the ground. 


	30. Bliss

“Welcome to the Bliss…”

Her voice was all she heard and the blonde woman was all she could see as green smoke was blown into her face.

Her vision blurred again the world around her no longer existing, a concept of time completely gone. Just as the world disappeared, she was suddenly standing in a flowered field with wooden staffs along each side of her. Animals both real like bison and elk lounging as they chewed on grass and mystical creatures like the jackalope pranced around her. Rebecca looked around with awe until a voice captured her once again, her eyes moving to see a young blonde woman in a white flowered dress dancing in front of her. 

“I know you’ve heard stories about me. That I’m a liar. That I'm a manipulator. That I poison people's minds…but I want to show you a different story, a different side."

 Rebecca couldn't speak, instead of the annoyance she thought she would feel in this moment was replaced by a peace, an eagerness to hear what she had to say. Faith danced around her, leaning down to pick up one single white flower as she moved it just under Rebecca's nose with a giggle, taking her hand as she guided her towards a tree where she could faintly see figures sitting in a half circle and one standing in front of them.

"Before you can believe my story, you have to believe in his."  

They neared closer as the figures came into focus. She gasped as she could see the Marshall sitting cross-legged with two other people she hadn't seen before listening with all they had to Joseph who stood in front of them.

"Even those who fight against us seek salvation. You're proof of that, we all need guidance in times like these. Now you'll see…Now you'll truly understand…"

 

As she finished speaking, Faith took both of her hands hurrying her forward towards Joseph as he turned to face her not losing his place in his speech to those who sat listening to him. His voice was soft yet commanded her attention, his tone of such upmost seriousness yet full of hope that they would hear his words and let them see what he had.

"Because those on the outside will see what we have built here. Our New Eden…the love we have here. And they will try to destroy that, they will try and take that from us, take all that we have built."

Rebecca was frozen in place as she listened to the Preacher, watching as he walked as if floating on clouds towards her his blue eyes hidden behind yellow aviators that did not stop him from looking directly into her soul. She could not tell if this was all another dream, if this was just the drug Faith was known for using to play tricks on peoples minds or if he really was standing in front of her.

"You judge me. You judge us. "

His hands moved to gently rest on her shoulders as he moved closer to her.

"The things that we all have done…"

His eye gave the slightest twitch as he shrugged.

 

"You see the same news I do. Do your eyes not fill with horror as you see the news play before you? As you watch what this world has become?" 

He paused as one hand reached to lightly touch her cheek before he walked past her, his hands motioning up towards the once peaceful field behind them as mushroom clouds form and his voice becomes louder and more authoritative. 

"This is the world?! This is the world we have built for our children?! This?"

He turned as his arms outstretched as if motioning to each of the horrors he mentioned from communities tearing each other apart to the failure of power hungry leaders who wouldn't act as they needed to. His voice nearly breaking as she could feel his heart ache for those caught in the chaos before suddenly he was still and quiet shaking his head with a sigh.

 

Again she felt as if she was literally drawn closer to him, not moving her own body but suddenly again he was in front of her. His hands resting on her shoulders with one cupping her jawline as his eyes gazed into hers, his thumb lightly caressing her cheek as he spoke softly to her.

"I did not ask for this. I was chosen."

His voice was only a whisper. He leaned to rest his forehead on hers as she had seen him do with John back when she was being 'Cleansed'. She closed her eyes drawing back a deep breath, smelling not only the sweet scent of the bliss around her but the familiar scent of Joseph that combination of pine and sandalwood, feeling more at peace than she had in months not wanting that moment to end.

 

"Everything is coming to an end…You can feel that, I know you can."

As it always did his voice drew her back but instead of seeing the peaceful field all she could see was the world around them on fire, terror beginning to fill her heart as her body began to tremble. Joseph moved to the side one hand on the back of her shoulder as if to steady her a moment before he continued on walking towards the burning rubble of buildings before them.

"Mankind is weak, and we are hurdling towards our destruction and no one is willing to do anything about it. I can see that! You can see that!"

His voice carried over her like a strong wind, his conviction in knowing what was to come never more evident than it was in this moment. She felt her breath hitch in her throat as he pointed right to her seeing what she could have sworn was a glimmer of a tear in his eyes as he asked if they were to just sit back and wait for it all to happen.  In this moment she was captivated by the man standing before her, his words ringing true as she had seen what he saw, she had worried what was coming for them with the chaos Washington was creating with the nations overseas and the people of it's own country. She feared that a great war was coming but never could have pictured what was being shown to her now, she could feel the tears beginning to flow down her cheeks.

He walked back towards her using one hand to again grip her shoulder to hold her steady, using the thumb of his other to gently erase the tears from her face. She took another deep breath and started feeling that peace inside of her again as she began to feel lost in his eyes, her legs becoming weak. His voice did not change from the same strong authority it held before but his eyes remained soft while he extended his point through his voice.

"I don't claim to be a perfect man. I am far from one, but I know what I saw was the truth of what is coming and I chose to act. To lead. Because society is broken and the only way forward…is to go back...back when things were innocent and pure…when we were protected in our Garden.  "

 

His hand on her shoulder moved down her arm to hold her hand as he stood in front of her, using his hand on her jawline to hold her attention as he stepped as close as he could to her whispering softly. 

"I can save you Rebecca…"

She closed her eyes as he leaned in, she could feel his lips touch her cheek softly before pulling away. Opening her eyes as he handed her one white flower she could hear him whisper again as everything around her began to fade away once more her mind becoming dazed and confused, her vision going dark.

"Please let me save you…."

 

\---------

 

Her eyes flashed open in a panic as she couldn’t see what was happening around her only blurry images of figures moving above her, voices she could not recognize speaking to her. She began to fight as hard as she could, pushing away what looked to be a dagger one went to thrust toward her heart screaming out as she grabbed the hands that held it.

"No!!!"

She screamed as the other figure grabbed her arms, the world slowly becoming more into focus but her mind could not make sense of any of the chaos.

 

"Rook! It's us!"

She couldn't tell who's voice it was as she began to cry shaking her head as she tried to fight them from putting binds over her arms.

 

"No!!"

Rebecca screamed out again as one face came into focus above her.

"Rebecca, I need you calm…and still."

It was Tracey, she didn't hold a dagger in her hand but a needle. Rebecca still felt the terror as she tried to calm herself looking around to see her uncle holding onto her legs and above her….

"Noah…?"

She asked as she looked up, suddenly feeling a sharp pain in her chest causing her to gasp and her upper body to thrust forward before collapsing back on the bed.

"Shh…It's me. I'm here…"

Her brother whispered into her ear as she began to fade into unconsciousness again, praying it wasn’t another trick by Faith and she was going to end up trapped into the Bliss.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was so excited to finally write this chapter! Some great things are coming everyone. What do you think so far?


	31. Time

Looking down at his sleeping sister, Noah sat back in his seat, looking back up at Sheriff Whitehorse and Tracey. Tracey immediately began an IV line for fluids and medications to help Rebecca ease out of the bliss.  While Whitehorse released the restraints they had on her legs, checking to see if she had any injuries they would need to tend to.

 "Where has she been all this time?" Noah asked as he looked to his uncle.  "And why did you let her go out there alone!"

He stood up nearly tossing his chair to the side as he walked over to the Sheriff wanting to blame anyone and everyone for the fact his sister was taken yet again. Whitehorse stood tall, resting his hand on Noah's shoulder as he tried to calm him down reminding him this was Faith's doing not the Resistance and that no one could stop his sister if she was determined to do something.

"We found her down in a Bliss field at the base of that stupid damn mountain where Faith put that obnoxious statue of Joseph. We don't know how long she was there. “ 

Whitehorse looked over to Rebecca again as he gave a sigh remembering himself being loss in a sea of bliss.

"Tracey found me in a similar way that Bliss is bound to mess you up. You feel only minutes passed and it can be days…this time it seems it kept her longer."

 

They all would take turns sitting watch at her bed, waiting for her to finally wake up and tell them what had happened to her. Ready to answer questions she was bound to have for them once she realized how long she was gone. Rebecca slept throughout the night and well into the next day before her eyes started to flutter open, taking a moment to realize she was back safe in the jail on one of their triage cots.

"What…"

She sat up slowly with a hand on her head, she felt like she had been hit by a runaway locomotive.

 

"Woah, just slow down a second there."

Her brother hurried to her side to help her sit up slowly, handing her a cup of water and moving her bed to incline slightly so she could lean back.

"Noah?!" She asked in shock seeing her brother up and walking. "But you were just…."

 

Her mind felt scrambled and she was beyond confused as she tried to process her thoughts, shaking her head muttering 'no' under her breath over and over again. Noah moved into the bed with his sister and hugged her close, rubbing her back softly.

"This is real. I'm okay….you've been gone for three weeks Becks."

He first assured her before pulling back to see her face as he told her how long she had been gone.

Shaking her head she tried to protest feeling angry that Faith had caused her to become lost to time, wondering if it really was Joseph she saw there. She looked to her brother as he pulled up his pant leg, showing a mostly healed scar as he smiled looking to her.

 "It worked Becks… The surgery works I'm better than ever. While we couldn't find you I managed to track down Sharky Boshaw and clear out the camp outpost and the one by the gas station I hoped in one of those I would be able to find something about where you were but there was…nothing."

 

Rebecca swallowed hard again as her mind started to clear from the bliss, she remembered a bunker and occasionally seeing the walls but most she could remember was….him. What she remembered most of all was Joseph. Looking to her brother she forced a smile shaking her head in disbelief he was already up and walking.

 "I think Faith had me in her bunker I don't remember much besides that damn bliss… I don't remember much of that either."

She lied, she remembered all that Joseph said to her and showed her but she couldn't even try to tell her brother that.

 "How did you all find me?"

 "That's a question for the Sheriff and Grace. I was coming back from the camp when they were driving you into the gates."

 

Rebecca nodded as she sat up more moving to take the IV out of her arm not allowing Noah to stop her, instead he threw his hands up walking out the door of the triage quickly. Rebecca shrugged as she stood up out of the bed, finding her clothes she was wearing before she fell into the influence of the bliss being shocked at their clean state; then figuring Noah or someone had them cleaned while she slept, getting dressed as quick as she could.

 

Just as she was looking around the room for her pack the two men came back in followed by Tracey, all of them seeming shocked at the fact she was up and moving so quickly. Sighing as she looked to them before she said another word she walked over giving each of them a reassuring hug before she looked around again.

"Where's my gear?"

"Rook, don't you think that---"

 Rebecca moved her hand up as she looked to the Sheriff, a half smirk as she knew exactly what he was going to say.

"Look I'm fine, my head is clear. I'm not wanting to go out there and start liberating this whole region I figured I did a lot of work while Noah was laid up he can take care of some of it for a few days. I just need to get my bearings again, get my head right."

They all stood staring at her unconvinced causing her to scoff and motion to herself as she turned around.

"Guys! I'm still me. I'm not hurt as you all had said. I'm not still under the influence of that Bliss shit and if I can help it I never will be again. I'm just not ready to go out there taking properties and being the hero again, I need to just go camp or something for a few days on my own to regroup. I lost three fucking weeks while I was stuck with that bitch, give me a few days to get my footing again."

She sighed almost feeling defeated in trying to explain herself for wanting to go out on her own. All she said was the truth but there was more she had to do and she couldn't do it with her brother looking over her shoulder the entire time. Pinching the bridge of her nose she stood there in silence waiting for someone to say anything, knowing no matter what they said she was going.

 "Alright, you need your time I get it. To be honest I could use some guy time out there with Nick and Sharky. We can gather intel, do whatever we can but I'm not making any more big moves without you here."

 

Rebecca smiled as she moved to hug her brother again kissing the side of his head, then looking outside the door where Nick and Sharky were standing completely obvious in wanting to join them. Patting her brothers back she walked out the door to the men staring both of them down as she crossed her arms.

 "No getting into more trouble than you guys can get out and don't let my brother get taken by that same bitch who nabbed me. If I find out…"

"Woah Dep! Don't worry when have I ever let you down?"

Nick motioned to himself in a way that made her break out laughing.

"Alright, Well I had to say it."

They all nodded and gave Rebecca a pat on her shoulder, she tried to ignore Sharky's famous duct taped flame thrower and turned around to her brother again with a smile. For once she felt confident he would be okay for a while without her, he had been for three weeks while she was in Bliss Land, and he had yet to be captured by any Seeds on his own. She was the only one stupid enough to underestimate them so far in that way.

"I'm not sure where I am going to stay at yet, I'll be safe and I know a couple places where Peggie's aren't going to just come up on me and I can have my time to myself to sort everything out. Even get some hunting in to get back into the swing of shooting I'm sure three weeks without it as made my aim off just a bit."

She smirked as she looked up at her brother.

"I will radio if any trouble comes up and you better do the same." 

He grabbed her around the shoulders and attempted to mess up her hair, only for Rebecca to jab him once in the gut.

 

After that there were no more protests or trying to convince her not to go off on her own for a while, just asking she checks in once a day so they know she's alive and wasn't taken again to which she agreed as long as if anything major came up they radioed her immediately. Whitehorse grabbed her pack from one of the lockers inside Virgil's office along with a few days worth of provisions and with a stop to the shop to get enough ammo and other essentials she would be set for at least a week if she wanted to be.

 Rebecca made sure to say goodbye to everyone she could before she left, grabbing one of the trucks from the parking lot and driving down the road away from the jail. In her mind she had long decided where she wanted to go from the moment she woke up, and what she would do in her time away from the Resistance, her brother and her friends….She was going to get all the answers she needed no matter how hard it was to ask.


	32. What Happens At Jones Pt. 1

To her surprise all the things she left down in the bunker at the Jones' residence was the same, appearing untouched by anyone inside or outside since she had left. With plenty of daylight remaining in the day, she had to clean remnants of blood and other signs of the violence that the original owners met. Once she finished, she cleaned up the outside; which mainly meant moving boxes and trash to the back side of the property. 

She found one bed that wasn't completely destroyed along with a mattress, moving them back into the main bedroom making up the bed with the sheets and blankets she found in the hallway. The couch was salvable, so was a small table she could use to eat at or work on the computer if she managed to find parts at. All in all making it a comfortable place to stay for the time being; however, at the moment, the bunker was seeming cozier to her.

Rebecca had decided not to go hunting for the night, instead, she cracked open one of the cans of chili that Whitehorse gave her, sitting outside with a small fire burning. She had seen no reason to figure out if the gas stove indoors worked when she preferred eating by a campfire these days. Finding a comfortable spot near the fire, she watched as her food cooked on the small rack she made from spare metal, her thoughts beginning to replay the vision in her head of Joseph from her time in the Bliss.

 _"Was it real? Did any of that really happen? Was that just Faith playing tricks or did I really talk to Joseph…"_  

Those were just some of the many thoughts in her mind as she stood up going to grab her radio she left in the truck. Her fingers paused on the dial as she tried to get the nerve to reach out once again, knowing only one person would have those answers for her. Realizing at that moment, she did not want to call because of her curiosity but because she _wanted to_  see him. Remembering how she felt when he was there in the Bliss but more importantly remembering their time by the creek before John captured her and Noah. She remembered feeling calm, unjudged and that he would listen to her even if he didn't agree with what she thought or believed. Strangely around Joseph; the one man who she should want to stay the farthest away or want to put a bullet between his eyes was the one who made her feel safe and as if she could truly be herself.

 

Leaning against the truck she turned her radio to channel seven, holding it up to her lips as she spoke into it for the first time in three weeks; although to her, she felt as if she just spoke to him yesterday. A cold breeze blew over her as she hugged her leather jacket closer, finally holding down the button to speak.

"Joseph?"

She waited to hear an answer as she watched the fire from where she stood at the truck.

"Rebecca, I am glad to hear you are awake."

She paused a moment as her eyebrow rose, clicking the button again.

"You mean you…?"

"Who do you think let them know where to find you?"

Her breath hitched in her throat as she tried to remember more, blurred visions moving through her head. She could see arms carrying her up winding stairs, the voice of a woman angerly protesting…Then she remembered…nothing.

"I can't remember Joseph…" She paused holding the radio to her chest. "My mind, the bliss…How long I was gone I just.."

"Where are you?" His voice broke through her confused rambling catching her off guard.

"I'm back at the Jones' Residence but I --"

"I will be there shortly. I will answer any questions you have, I will help you remember. I can help you, Rebecca."

His voice cut her off again but the tone was familiar, she suddenly remembered his voice whispering he could save her and pleading to allow him to. Rebecca nodded, not saying anything into the radio without realizing she needed to let Joseph know she was on board with the idea until he called her name again.

"Yeah…Yeah… I'll see you soon."

She then attached her radio back to her hip walking over to the fire where again she would wait for Joseph Seed to meet her.

 

In the time she waited for him to arrive from his compound on his own little island all the way to where she was staying in the Henbane River region; assuming he didn't need to take care of whatever the 'Father' has to before he could even begin the drive, she ate dinner and extinguished her fire and moved inside to the house with only a lantern to dimly light the room. She curled up on the couch pulling an old knitted blanket she found over her as she pulled out a book she thought she never would again…The Book of Joseph.

She found herself becoming lost as she read through the pages, searching for any answers she could so she wouldn't have to ask Joseph. Suddenly she found her fingers trembling as she reached the chapter about his Prophecy, feeling a chill move through her fingers to her spine. Willing herself with all her might she tried to turn the page, her breath shaking as she stared at the title over and over again until she pushed the page over quickly. She began to read the words written there, studying each one before moving onto the next allowing herself to absorb his words and the so-called Prophecy he had, not hearing that a car that had pulled up to the driveway.

 

\-----

 

Joseph had wanted to go to the jail and demand how she had been feeling from the moment he watched as Sheriff Whitehorse and one of his former followers find her in the field he carried her to. But he knew it was not the type of action needed for the moment. He had waited until they drove towards the Jail until he made his way back to the compound not wishing to deal with Faith and her overuse of the Bliss at this time. 

He sat in his office off the side of his church in the moments he did not need to be addressing his flock, using every excuse he could think of to not be disturbed. The radio he had designated for channel seven, waiting and hoping to hear her voice come across so he would know she was okay sat on his desk. Time stood still as he thought back to the moment he found out she was being held in Faith's Gate, the anger he felt hearing Faith had kept it a secret for nearly three weeks. Trust slowly was beginning to break for him towards Faith, seeing more and more she seemed to stray away from his Path as she tried to keep others on it. 

The moment he heard his name called over the radio he couldn't help but smile as he stood to his feet, swiftly grabbing the radio, taking a moment to remind himself who he was and to evaluate the moment. Taking a deep breath he brought the radio up as he replied, unsure of where she was he remained vague to start but the moment she mentioned she was alone somewhere he knew he had to go to her.

 

He exited his office quickly, leaving word with one of the guards that he was needing to go tend to business and again have time to himself to pray and meditate — almost feeling guilty of the lie, Joseph told himself he would do so before he returned. One last check that everything was as it should be, Joseph began making his way out of the compound; avoiding guards patrolling as he made his way to his personal vehicle just outside the main gates. He drove as fast as he could, taking the most direct route towards the Jones residence, avoiding the roadblocks he knew were still in place. Still, it had taken more time then he wished it would. Along the drive he began playing scenarios in his mind, trying to decide how much he would reveal to her or wonder how much he could remember from her time in the Bliss and of him joining her there.

He parked his car not quite all the way up to the house but out of the way if anyone was to happen to come by they wouldn't see it, pausing as he looked to the house from the driver's seat. 

_"Can't sit out here forever Joseph…"_

He thought to himself as he exited the vehicle, adjusting his leather vest over his white button-up shirt as he stood.  Each step syncing with his beating heart as he reached the porch, pausing as he looked into the window. Seeing her sitting on the couch his eyes trailing down to see what she had in her hands, causing a smile coming to his lips to which he quickly placed away.

Joseph walked to the door, raising his hand to knock on the door three times, stepping back to wait for her to answer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised my lovely readers...much anticipated Rebecca and Joseph interactions is coming! I really loved writing this and the coming chapters. What do you think is some R/J Smut needed already? Or more fluff?


	33. What Happens At Jones Pt. 2

The knock caught her off guard causing her to jump to her feet, knocking the Book to the floor along with her blanket. Instinctually her hand reached for her hip, realizing she had removed her holster and gun earlier leaving it stupidly in the back bedroom. While cursing inwardly for a stupid mistake, Rebecca carefully and quietly walked towards the door. Peeking through the small peephole she smiled, sighing in relief. With a twist of the doorknob, the door came open, and she stepped outside to greet him. Her eyes meeting his just as they had in the Bliss, feeling her spine freeze as she tried to break her gaze away, tucking some of her hair that had fallen out of her ponytail behind her ear

"Joseph."

"Rebecca."

She folded her arms closely around her as another small breeze moved across the porch between them, leaning gently into the frame of the open door inwardly trying to make sure it was real, and she wasn't imagining the fact he stood there on the small porch. Joseph stepped closer to her, his blue eyes studying her, looking over her in his own way to ensure there were no lingering effects from her excessive Bliss exposure.  Neither of them knowing the other was just as unsure about the situation but hid their own uncertainty well. 

"I didn't think you would really come. It was getting late.."

"As I told you before, I will come if you ask me to, I will answer your questions."

 

She smiled and nodded remembering the note he left her in the Convent. Stepping to the side she motioned for him to come through the threshold of the door, to which Joseph gave no pause. Rebecca followed closely behind him, closing the door quickly and latching the lock she managed to fix earlier in the day. Hearing the lock click, Joseph stepped further into the room before he turned slowly to look at her as he removed his signature aviators.

 

"Just…precautions. I don't want any of your people or mine just walking up and into the door. "

She motioned to the door and shrugged as she walked into the living room past him, sitting down on the couch. Joseph again turned on his heel, following her from a distance. Pausing when he looked to the floor and saw his book laying wrapped partly in the blanket knowing it happened in a startle. Another half smile came to his lips as he leaned down to pick up the book, seeing the chapter she had open and reading over his own words for a moment before he looked to her.

"I am surprised to see this here, although you are full of surprises Rebecca." He placed the book down on the coffee table that held a tv and old box radio, his fingers tapping the leather twice before he stood straight again looking at her.

 

"You said you told Whitehorse how to find me…where to find me?"

Joseph nodded in response.

"How…Why…?"

She didn't know how to ask or how to bring up the bits she remembered, fumbling her hands together as she did when she was nervous she focused down at them as she cleared her throat.

"I remember glimpses of where I really was…Outside the Bliss."

Joseph looked up to her his hand resting at his chest as he waited to hear what she remembered.

"It was you wasn't it? Who carried me out of the bunker and laid me in that field."

Again Joseph nodded confirming her question.

"Did you know I was there...or how long ---"

"No! The minute I had learned of it I immediately went to Faith's Gate. In time I will be dealing with her actions…'

 Joseph's voice was sharp, nearly angry at her beginning to ask if he was aware of her being with Faith.

"So you didn't tell her --"

"No. It's not what I had wished for you."

 

Rebecca nodded understanding what exactly he was really saying with those words. She had heard his followers or even John say 'The Will of the Father' enough times to know the seriousness in him telling her it's not what he wanted. Again silence took over the room as she took in this new information. Letting it process before she asked anything else. Joseph taking that moment to cross the room and sit down on the other end of the couch from her, setting his aviators aside as he looked to her with eyes both caring and of concern giving her confidence to continue when her eyes met them.

"I remember the Bliss. I remember you, Joseph…But I don’t know if it was real or just some hallucination Faith put into my head but the things you said…the things I _saw…_ "

"It was real. When I learned how long you had been in the Bliss and that Faith had not even tried to reach you in claiming she was waiting until she captured your brother as well. I had no other choice other than to join you there, Rebecca. You needed something for your mind to grab ahold of, or you would have been left inside the bliss forever."

Again her breath was hitched in her throat as she turned to sit sideways on the couch so she could face him.

"So you came into the Bliss and told me a story."

"I told you the truth Rebecca, my truth and a truth I know is yours as well. I can see it in your eyes today, just as I saw it in you the day you came to my compound. A look that was shining through you brightly inside the Bliss."

 

She swallowed hard as his words hit home, she began to wonder how it is he knew this about her before she knew it herself. Moving her hand over her head she took her hair out of the ponytail letting it flow over her shoulders. Then moving her hands through her chocolate locks ruffling them up as she let out a loud sigh. 

"That's really what you saw? The vision you had for what's coming for this world? The bombs….all of it?"

Again, Joseph nodded as he looked down at his hands beginning to massage his thumb against the ropes of his rosary on his hand.

"I broke the promise I had made to you. The moment I decided to show you what I had seen. I have always wanted you to understand, but I never intended on breaking my word once I gave it to you."

"I know."

 

He slowly looked to her not expecting her answer but thankful to hear it turning his body to sit as she did on the couch so they faced each other. His arm moving to extend over the back of the couch towards her as his eyes searched hers. She shifted in her seat as she watched him, her hands moving to her lap as she paused biting the inside her bottom lip just slightly.

"You were right, Joseph. I did see the things that are going on in this world, I've known deep down somethings been coming." 

She whispered as she shifted again moving slightly towards the middle of the couch; closer to him, her eyes holding the same type of intensity he had when he was telling her of what he had seen while they were in the Bliss.

"But all of _this_ isn't any better than the corruption that is leading towards what you call the Collapse."

Her voice became firm as she motioned towards the window.

"I may agree with you Joseph that something big is coming and I mean **_big_**. But I can't excuse all the violence that never would have happened if you didn't tell your people to take by any means possible. " 

Her voice kept the same still but firm tone as her eyes looked deeply into his fighting to hold back how it all made her feel.

"The Reaping."

She nodded slowly as her hand lowered to rest on the back of her part of the couch their fingertips just centimeters apart, a sigh escaping her lips.

"I know you thought this was the only way and for all, I know maybe in some way it was…but you have to see your siblings are going too far Joseph."

"I do. And one way or another it will be dealt with."

 

She smirked shaking her head, nearly in disbelief at how candid he was over the topic moving her hand back up to her lips as she bit the nail on her thumb. Chuckling softly she looked over to him again.

"I know you did not want to break your word. And I will not break mine. If you work with me. If you _realize_ how dangerous John is, how unpredictable Faith apparently is and I have no idea how Jacob is but from what I've heard it is worse then I promise I will do what I can to keep my word."

Joseph nodded again, shifting to move closer to her just by an inch, his fingertips softly touching her elbow.

"I will do as I can to reach my siblings, and I do not judge you if it must come to you breaking your word."

Lowering her hand from her lips to reveal half a smile, a single tear rolling down her cheek as her arm rested over his. Joseph was caught off guard jumping just slightly before a chuckle revealed itself for the first time that she actually could fully hear, causing her to smile even more. Turning his arm over as he moved closer to her, adjusting his reach he held her hand gently. Joseph's other hand moving to softly wipe the tear from her cheek. Rebecca turned her head to softly nuzzle into his touch her lips softly kissing his hand around the rosary's rope, her eyes looking back to his knowing at least at this moment it no longer mattered who he was or who she was, it didn't matter they lead opposing sides of a war.


	34. Lust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Explicit content ahead. Nudity and Smut.

For once things did not move in a blur. She wouldn't be trying to fit the pieces together or trying to figure out if it was real. For the first time, for as long as she could remember, she knew without a doubt she wasn't in a dream. She wasn't lost in the Bliss with Faith and it no longer felt strange to her to feel safe with him there.

Watching her closely, Joseph rested his hand gently on her cheek, unmoving when she moved to his wrist their eyes never losing their locked gaze. When she paused he moved closer to her until they were sitting right next to each other, the hand that held hers moving up her arm to rest on the other side of her jaw, turning her head to look at him.

His eyes gazed down into hers in a way he hadn't allowed himself to before as his thumb gently caressing her cheek. Her hand moving to rest over one of his leaning into his soft touch as her gaze softened with his, letting herself become vulnerable in a way she hadn't in a long time with a man whom should be the last she ever would be.

"Joseph…" She whispered.

"Rebecca…" He whispered back with a smile the first full and true smile she had seen from him a sight she never imagined to be so sweet.

 

As if they both were drawn to the other like a moth to a flame they each leaned in towards the other, one of his hands moved from her cheek to become entangled in her hair as his lips collided with hers. His arm moving around her small waist, pulling her body on top of his. She eagerly moved to straddle his lap while her arms tightened around his shoulders.

Rebecca teased her tongue softly across his lips, he parted them to greet her's hungrily with his. Hearts racing as they became entangled in one another.  Joseph groaned into her lips while he adjusted underneath her, his hand moving from her hair sliding slowly down her back; unclasping her bra in one movement of his fingers, until he could grasp the bottom of her shirt, their lips parting only to pull it and her bra of In one swift motion.

Wrapping his arms around her as he stood, her legs wrapping around his waist, their lips never breaking the kiss growing as a fire does when it reaches the right kindle both moaning softly into the other's lips. Joseph began to carry her towards the bedroom, stopping to lean against a wall as desire began to take over them, lips parting as he began to kiss down her neck nipping along his way a gasping moan from her encouraging him to never stop what he was doing. His hands held her firmly there against the wall using one to roam to her breasts feeling her fill his grip, she unwrapped her legs from around him her hands moving to unbutton his vest and shirt before pushing them off of him to the ground.

Joseph smiled against her soft neck leaving one final kiss before he pulled away to look deeply into her eyes for a moment before he allowed them to drift away from her eyes. He was mesmerized by the beauty that he was blessed to encounter, any thought he would have had of reservations against such acts long gone from his thoughts as they only now contained her. Joseph studied each curvature of her body, every scar, and any mark before his eyes moved to hers finding her studying him just as he studied her.

 

“You are _perfect…”_

He whispered softly to her before kissing her again, wrapping her up into his arms carrying her the rest of the way to the bedroom.

He laid her down softly over the bed, moving from her lips past her neck, his hands moving to roam over her breasts traveling until they rested with his fingertips teasingly moving along her waistline. Kissing softly over each breast, pausing to capture each of her nipples into his mouth teasing his tongue around them before he left one bite mark over her left breast, his eyes watching her. She moaned softly, laying back on the bed watching him take control over, allowing him to take control. Every touch, every kiss everything he did was setting her whole body on fire, the need for him ever growing. 

His lips trailed down her body to meet his hands kissing softly just above her waist causing a soft moan to escape her lips again, his eyes studying her again as his hands made fast work of her belt and anything else holding back from taking off the rest of her clothes, tossing them to the floor beside the bed. He paused looking from her toes slowly up her body, his hand sliding up her calf to her thigh, his thumb teasing the sensitive skin the closer he reached towards her center. His deep blue eyes met hers as he moved over her, leaning down to kiss along her stomach softly her breath shaking as she relaxed back and watched him.

 

"Do you trust me?"

His question caught her off guard but her answer was immediate without thought, one of instinct and knowing.

"Yes…"

With her answer his lips moved down from her waist, kissing just over the top of her womanhood feeling the heat already rising off of her. His eyes moved from watching her react to his touch, his tongue moving to softly glide over her clit, his fingers sliding between her slit before moving her lips aside so he could show her the attention he fully intended on. As he began to ravish her with his tongue she began to moan softly, every flick of the tongue exciting her more, her legs shaking as one rested over his shoulder her hands gripping onto the sheets beneath her.

As his tongue flicked and circled her clit; occasionally taking all of her small bead into his lips, he slid one finger slowly inside of her, curling to touch the sweet spot inside. She gasped with her back arching one hand gripping the sheets firmly, her other moving to rest on the back of his head gripping on to hold him there, not wanting any of it to stop. Joseph groaned against her as he slipped another finger inside, beginning to move both of them at a steady pace inside of her, his tongue working faster as the taste of her moved him into his own form of euphoria.

"Don't stop…"

She gasped as she felt herself becoming closer and closer to her release, her hand gripping his hair firmly as her legs began to tremble, her moans filling the roam. His response being to focus not only on her clit but all of her. Pumping his fingers deep inside of her, sucking and licking her clit as if it was a sucker with a  prize in its center. Her legs wrapped around his shoulders as she erupted against him, moaning out his name as her body sat partly over, Joseph continued to pleasure her through the ride, taking in as much of her sweet nectar as he could.

 

Once her first orgasm had passed, Joseph smiled as he sat up removing his fingers from her and watching as she laid before him attempting to catch her breath. She smiled back as she sat up, one hand gripping his belt the other his jawline as she kissed him passionately, tasting herself against his lips, Joseph kissing her in return hungrily. Rebecca's hand began to undo his belt as a smirk came across her face, pulling away to look at him, her other hand moving to join the other as she removed his belt completely and was undoing his jeans. Joseph moved one hand to caress her cheek as he kissed her, leaning over her to direct her to lay back on the bed unwrapping her legs from him so he could stand and finish undressing.

Rebecca laid back and watched as he removed his jeans and boxers. Biting her lip as her eyes widened to see the size of his member instantly standing at attention, she took the moment to admire all of him from his various tattoos and scars to just his body her heart beating quickly as she began to think of him inside of her. She leaned up, taking his hand and pulling him back to the bed, her lips meeting his as they began to lay down, one of her legs moving so her thigh brushed against his hip her hand now gripping his bicep and the other rested softly on his side feeling thick scars under her palm.

Laying just above her, Joseph broke the kiss as he reached down, taking hold of his throbbing cock teasing the tip against her wet slit, his eyes watching her reaction seeing the same eagerness he felt. He began to bury his length within her,  moving slowly until she had taken him entirely. Her legs wrapped around his waist, her hand gripping firmly onto his bicep and they looked into each other’s eyes, no words needing to be shared and understanding exactly what the other was wanting.

 

The room filled with the sounds of their euphoria, the bed squeaking slightly as the headboard hit the wall leaving Rebecca thankful no one was around for miles to hear them. Joseph began at a steady pace, thrusting his length nearly all the way out before slamming back into her, his eyes watching hers as he held himself above her. Her hand gripped and relaxed against his bicep in tandem with his powerful thrusts, he moved to grip the bed just beside her to support his own weight.

“Oh Joseph…”

She moaned, arching her back and pushing her head into the pillow causing to push herself farther onto his hard member.

A lust filled smile grew across his lips as he leaned down to bite and kiss along her neck finding the place that seemed to drive her the most, thrusting his shaft as fast and forceful as he could manage, burying himself deep inside of her. With each thrust, each moment he could feel himself fill her perfectly he grew closer to his release, trailing his lips to meet hers. Placing soft teasing kisses at just the corners until she turned her head to take his captive once more, kissing him passionately. 

Caressing her cheek and holding her body close to his as she wrapped around him they reached the nirvana of orgasmic release together. With Joseph buried inside of her until he was drained of his seed. They laid in each other's embrace as they tried to catch their breath. Rebecca felt lost in him, not daring to think of moving from his arms. Joseph felt a peace inside he had rarely felt, brushing her hair away from her face before kissing her forehead softly.

 

————.

 

“Where are you drifting off to?”

She asked as she rolled partly onto her stomach, laying half on him as her fingers stopped tracing his crown tattoo. 

“Hmm…?”

“It's not hard to tell when someone is distracted. Lost in thought even."

 He smiled, leaning down to kiss her again tenderly, his hand brushing her hair away from her face as he had before.

“Am I wrong?”

She asked pulling away to look at him. He chuckled softly, tucking some of her hair behind her ear.

“When you know what is to come, it never leaves your mind.”

He smirked to her, she just shook her head while rolling her eyes, looking over to the nightstand seeing the time on the alarm clock. It was much later than she thought it was, although she had nothing planned for the morning she knew she couldn’t sleep all day if she wanted to recover from her time unmoving in Faith's Gate. Sighing softly she laid her head back on his chest relaxing again in his embrace.

"Goodnight, Joseph."

"Goodnight, Sweetest Rebecca."

Nothing else was discussed, they laid in silence for a while.  Rebecca went to tracing his tattoos or one of his scars, Joseph just lamenting in having her in his arms and the silence without the worry of someone barging in with updates or things needed of him not knowing Rebecca was feeling the same way. Before long they both drifted to sleep, laying in each other’s arms until morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this chapter had gone through a LOT of rewrites.... I really really hope you all enjoy it! Let me know down below, and do you think more fun like this is to come for our beauty Deputy Rebecca?


	35. The Morning After

She managed to slip out of bed, find a fresh T-shirt and her underwear under the pile of clothes on the floor without waking him. Walking towards the door she paused, turning back just to take another glimpse of the cult leader sleeping so peaceful in the bed they just shared. Tapping the doorframe lightly with two fingers, she pulled herself away and headed towards the kitchen. The day before she managed to find a coffee maker, a couple of mugs and even enough grounds for one pot of coffee while she scavenged around the property. After the adventures of the night before, she had figured it was best to bring it out now; she'd need something to break the initial ice once Joseph woke up.

She tried to be as quiet as she could be setting up the maker but when it began making a horrible grinding sound she thought for sure she had woken him up, causing her to jump and hurry to the bedroom to check. Peeking around the corner of the doorway she sighed in relief seeing him still asleep. She wasn’t ready for the undoubtedly uncomfortable conversation that would come once he woke up. Closing the door softly and brushing her hair back away from her face she headed once again into the kitchen pouring herself a nice big cup of coffee.

It was a beautiful morning, a seemingly peaceful one but she knew somewhere; maybe not that far away from her, the war was waging on. Sipping slowly, she looked forward towards the window over the kitchen sink across the room. Leaning back against the counter as her thoughts slowly began to form in her mind. It was quiet but for once the silence wasn’t haunting her wondering when the other shoe would drop. A smile on her lips, fingers tapping against the mug as she thought back to the night before.

 

Looking down into her cup she remembered how it felt to give in to herself and what she wanted deep down. She smiled brighter remembering how for once, she didn’t let fear hold her back or the conflicting thoughts that would usually bring heavy doubt to her mind. Instead, she chose to follow not only her gut but most importantly where her heart was leading her at that moment. That thought in itself was followed by a chuckle at the fact she was analyzing sleeping with Joseph Seed in such a way but it was the truth.

For months, through all that had happened she still struggled to listen to her gut to learn to trust it.  Even when others had every confidence in her. Every failed moment she would question herself in whatever came next. But being able to not question herself, to allow herself to feel human to feel alive again was more than she ever had before. She began to realize that following her gut and listening to what her own heart told her did not always conflict in interest, instead could be truly leading towards the same end goal.

Her thoughts moved away from being analytical, starting to think of just how it felt being with him. The feeling as if he set her skin on fire with just a simple touch…even more with just a kiss. Without noticing she had, she began to bite her lip as she remembered how it felt…how _he_ felt. After a while of thinking she knew, it didn’t matter who they were on the opposite sides of a war…not when it was just the two of them. But it did outside of that… and in the matter of it all, she needed to talk to Joseph.

 

She partly turned, looking back towards the bedroom wondering if he was still asleep and if she should wake him. Figuring all that rests on his shoulders, he needed his sleep, possibly more than she did. Chewing the thought she paced back and forth in the small hallway that segwayed the two bedrooms and bathroom. After a bit of a pep talk to herself, Rebecca decided it was best to wake him in the chance his followers would be wondering where he was and perhaps even come looking for him. She poured coffee into the second mug and topped her own cup off while she was at it.

Taking a deep breath she walked towards the bedroom preparing herself. Balancing both cups the best she could as she went to open the door only for it to open as she reached startling her nearly causing the hot coffee to spill all over her;  if her reflexes weren’t so in tune it would have.

 

“J..Joseph! I was just coming to…” She raised the mugs giving an awkward nervous smile.

“Ah. Well, thank you, Rebecca.”

He took the cup raising it to his lips taking a long slow sip. Smiling as he closed his eyes a moment enjoying something he didn’t even give himself time for lately. A simple cup of coffee.

“Were you…leaving?”  She asked before taking a drink from her own cup.

“Not unless you ask me to. ”

“Oh. Well, then stay. I still have questions you know.”

“Then I will.”

 

She smiled peering over her cup as she took another drink looking right into his eyes and he was looking right back at her. Lowering her cup she pondered a moment, tapping her cup again and remembering she was barely dressed - then noticing he had only pulled on his jeans.

“I..uh, am going to maybe put a pair of pants on first.”

She tried to look down so her hair would cover her blush but Joseph had seen it the moment it appeared. Reaching his hand under her chin, raising her head to look at him a soft half-smile on his lips only noticeable if you knew what to look for.

“Or… you can stay however you are most comfortable. We are alone here, Rebecca.”

She smirked looking up at him. It was again his subtlety that gave way to what he was really saying. He liked her there in only a T-shirt or maybe was even thinking of more lustful thoughts, and to be honest she didn’t hate it because she was too.

“Okay.”

 

She turned and walked back out to the living room sitting down where she had the night before when he first arrived. Quickly reaching back she closed the curtains not wanting to take any risks if someone happened to get a little too close to see inside. Rebecca wanted to be here, she wanted Joseph here but she didn’t want anyone to know about it right now. She knew how her brother, her uncle and her friends would all react if they knew.

Joseph followed behind her, taking note of her closing curtains he closed any others into the main part of the house before joining her on the couch. He understood why she had and was thankful for it, his siblings wouldn’t understand yet and though they would never turn against him, he wasn’t about to have those conversations. Noticing a few minutes went by as they sat in silence; and she long finished her coffee, Rebecca cleared her throat as she set the empty mug onto the side table.

 

“Yes?” He responded after she didn’t say anything after clearing her throat in what he thought was an attempt to clear the silence.

“I was thinking… we should get to know each other.”

She grabbed her hair tie from where she left it the night before, pulling most of her hair up into a messy ponytail. Joseph set his mug down onto a nearby table looking over to her.  He adjusted into the couch, resting one ankle on his other knee, arm draped over the back rear and his blue eyes staring right at her.

“I mean, we know each other, in some ways. But I want to know the _real_ Joseph Seed. I know Joseph Seed ‘the Father’ ”

She added air quotations and tried not to roll her eyes the last thing she wanted was to annoy or upset him. Although the look on his face instantly made her regret it, sighing softly as she leaned forward resting her hand on his leg.

“I want to know who you are Joseph. Outside being the leader of the Project, outside this damn war, we both are a part of. I want to know…”

 

Joseph moved one finger up to stop her before she continued, a smile crossing his lips to replace his temporary look of annoyance to her quotations to the title his followers had given him. Seeing her eyes soften, Joseph leaned in, kissing her tenderly. Rebecca smiled softly against his as she happily returned the kiss resting her hand softly on his calf.

“Alright, as long as I get to meet the _real_ Rebecca. I don’t even know your last name.”

She smiled brighter, her hand moving from his leg to rest against his rugged beard as she leaned in as if she was going to kiss him again, only to stop and whisper.

“Deal. And it’s Danielsen.”

She sat back with a smirk, turning to side cross-legged on the couch facing him. Joseph returned the smirk as he leaned back and relaxed their eyes connected as they waited for each other out. Just to see who would go first.


	36. Chapter 36

“How do you want to play this?”

“Well Grace, I wish my fucking sister was here to help she’d know how to crack this wide open.”

Noah understood why his sister needed time, it had been only hours since she left and he wasn’t going to sit around and do nothing. Looking through the binoculars overlooking the Misery where Whitehorse learned some of their people were taken.

“Yeah, well this has to get done now. So soldier up we have a job to do.”

Grace looked from the scope of her rifle back at him, Noah looked and nodded at her, sitting back on his foot as he pointed towards the misery.

 

“Well, we can’t see inside or who is in there for that matter. But I can see one of ours in that cage, one of their men right on the platform by it two..no, no three snipers and more than likely the guys who will alert anyone of our presence. I think I saw another hostage through one of the windows and another Peggie.”

Grace nodded and pondered a moment, reaching into her bag and grabbing a barely used silencer.

“So you work on getting close, I’ll take out our snipers and anyone else who may be trouble.”

Noah pondered a moment as he thought it over, realizing it was the best plan of action.

“Alright. Let me get over to that small island in the river before you start. I’ll dive once the first shot is off, get the guy who is overlooking it first.”

 

The first half of the plan had gone well. Grace took out all the snipers, Noah freed two hostages and as he ascended the stairs to the second floor of the marooned boat everything went to shit.

Bullets flying down at him, three more cultists seeming to pop out of nowhere firing rapidly towards him, giving him barely enough time to dive for cover.

“Fuck…”

Grace muttered as she removed her silencer before beginning to scan the boat for any sign of what was going on or a way to engage them without leaving her spot.

Breathing heavily Noah leaned back against the wall currently keeping him from the firing squad, looking around trying to figure out a plan fast. Searching the small pouch on his hip he kept a couple of explosives for quick access he managed only to find one single smoke bomb, holding it in his hand for a few seconds before a bullet came too close for comfort.

“Fuck it…”

 

He said as he pulled the pin, throwing the bomb towards the unexpecting Peggie’s and running from the wall towards cover closer to them. Reloading his pistol he began popping just barely over his cover shooting off shots towards any movement that was higher than someone kneeling on the ground; he had no idea if there were any captives in the same room and he sure as hell didn't want to be the one to accidentally kill one.

 

“Grace, look for smoke. I tossed one of those smoke bombs Becks always insists on having the Peggies' way, I hopefully have a shot but its hard to see anything in here. The smoke may flush them out."

"On it."

 

The rest of the assault ended quickly however not without its fallbacks. Noah killed any of the men who stayed in the room he was in while Grace picked off two that ran outside thinking it was clear. Noah's heart sank as he walked around the room, recognizing two of the men he just killed as someone he used to get beers with before it all began. Hating himself for having to kill someone he once saw as a possible friend but he had no choice. Grace made her way to the boat helping clear out the rest of the area and free hostages when Whitehorse came over the radio to let them know a priestess was on her way there and it was their one chance to take her out.

"Why the hell do they have priestesses? Isn't there Faith for that? Or shit aren't they all supposed to be oh so devoted to Joseph?"

Noah was flabbergasted at the fact not only was it a cult run by some crazy family but they even convinced people to become so devoted as to be whatever the woman coming towards them was. Shaking his head with a laugh he headed towards one of the large mounted guns, ready to fire upon the cultists as they drew closer. Grace followed his lead taking the second gun on a higher platform. It was over before any shots could be fired back, the boats came around the bend and the two of them opened fire not worrying about who was inside just to kill anything that moved; even destroying the boats completely.

 

As always Noah radioed his uncle to let him know they were successful, the prisoners there would be heading to the nearest outpost unless they need medical treatment and checking if there was anything else needed while he was out. Of course, there were always a million and one things to do but there were things everyone back at the jail knew Noah wouldn't even attempt taking care of until Rebecca was ready to join the fight again.

"Alright Sheriff, we are going to do some recon on a couple of outposts before we make our way back. Make sure there's a cold beer waiting for me will ya?"

"Sure thing Noah. See you when you get back."

Laughter was heard just before the radio clicked off causing Noah and Grace to laugh themselves. Checking around outside the boat for any intel or gear they could use left them with only a couple boxes of ammo and some dynamite but not everywhere could be an intel goldmine. Noah was used to it by now, finding less and less information lying about or just the same information being given to them.

 

\----

 

It was nearly dark out when Noah and Grace pulled back up outside the Jail. The rest of the day they spent checking their current outposts in Henbane region making sure they were secured and well resourced, then moved on to recon Lorna's Truck Stop. It would have been easy enough to clear it himself, wasn't heavily guarded and wasn't much cover for the Peggie's to hide behind but plenty for him if he wanted to keep his distance and snipe them out one at a time. Grace had tried to convince him just to take it over but he promised Rebecca….No big moves until she is back. He wanted to make things difficult on the cult but his main focus, for now, was recon and saving captives where he could without taking on another outpost.

Parking the truck outside the gates they headed inside the gates. Grace went to go walk the wall as she usually did any time she was at the jail; leaving Noah to joke that she must be a vampire or something because the woman never sleeps. While Noah headed inside to Virgil's office where he and Whitehorse were waiting with a bottle of whiskey already open on the desk.

 

"Cheers to a victory there Dep."

Whitehorse raised his glass while Virgil filled another for Noah handing it to him.

"There hasn't been a victory, Whitehorse. Not yet. Not until we take every one of that fucking family out."

 

Noah gripped his glass firmly as he took a sip. His anger bubbling at the surface as he thought of what he wanted to do to John Seed for what he had done and now to even Faith; whose actions were not nearly as severe as John's to him but still deserved punishment. Tapping his radio on his hip he started to realize he hadn't heard from his sister since she left the day before; Noah himself neglected to check in for a while when he was out doing recon and some hunting the day before, nor when he turned in at camp or when he was heading to the Misery.

"Has Rebecca called in by chance? I was knee deep in shit earlier so I could have missed it if she did. "

"Haven't heard from her since last night, she checked in letting me know she made it to where she's staying. Wouldn't say where but that she's close enough if something happens and we need her she can get here fast. "

 

Noah nodded listening to his uncle, glad at least someone had heard from her and put the worry out of his mind figuring she must be resting or even out hunting.

"She will check in when she's ready, I know. IF you hear from here please get me right away. If she doesn't radio before I turn in tonight, I'll just try and hope to reach her."

The men nodded before changing the subject to the various accomplishments by the Cougars and asking Noah of what all happened at the Misery or any information they had. For a while, they talked tactics, business all that came with the war but after a few more drinks they all were laughing sharing stories of the 'good old days' as Whitehorse put it.

It was rare that Noah let himself relax but after personally help refortify the jail before he left this last time he knew they were safe for now and could relax. No one had found any evidence the cult would be making moves towards them soon and though he knew to always be ready and prepared he was fully enjoying the time to relax and feel just like one of the guys again.

 

He had just finally dozed off relaxing on one of the couches with his boots up on a coffee table when suddenly a loud explosion was heard outside and the entire building shook. Shooting up to his feet, Noah grabbed his rifle making sure it was fully loaded. Hurrying out the door nearly running directly into Virgil who was trying to flee quickly to his office in a panic, Noah grabbed his arm.

"Where's Whitehorse?"

"He…he is up on the roof."

"Go into your office, lock the doors hide under your desk. Stay there until someone comes back for you. You'll be safe there."

Virgil took no time hurrying off to his office, Noah changed his direction from running right outside the doors to join the defense to inside the Jail to take the winding staircase up to the roof. Nearly out of breath as he busted through the roof access door, he knelt down seeing bullets fly through the air everywhere around him looking around for the Sheriff.

 

"Whitehorse! You up here?" 

"Pinned down over here Dep."

The Sheriff was knelt down behind some sandbags occasionally firing off his old pistol into the direction of a group of Cultists who just breached the top of the wall. Noah hurried towards him, taking cover with the sandbags as he reloaded his gun. War was once again right on their front door. 


	37. Getting To Know You

"Had you always wanted to be in law enforcement? Always wanted to be a Sheriff's Deputy in little Hope County, Montana?"

Joseph was the first to break the silence and he hadn't waited long. He was a man who could quickly collect his own thoughts, and was curious about this woman since the moment she stepped into his church.

"I've always wanted to help people, ever since I was a little kid. I come from a very big military and law enforcement family, I mean I am sure I had family in the majority of the military conflicts this country has had since the beginning. "

She smiled shaking her head thinking of the family 'Wall of Heroes' her grandpa had in his house which was passed on to her dad and covered the hallway leading to the bedrooms at home. Clearing her throat she pressed on, moving to massage the back of her right hand with her left looking down at them.

 

"Noah and I, we have an older sister. She was ten years older than us and practically helped raise us most the time; our parents were both so into their careers by the time we came around. She had this boyfriend who when we all met we thought he may be just the perfect guy for her…he was handsome, he was charming…he was smart and seemed to dote on her. "

Rebecca took a long, shaky breath as she stared at her hands moving them so that her palms faced up. Joseph sat more upright listening to her, not pushing or asking questions but just listening to her as she continued.

"What we didn't know….was he was abusing her. He was violent and worse than the physical things he did to her, he got into her mind. She became a shell of who she once was, he began cutting her off from all of us slowly at first but…finally, we would never hear from her except maybe a phone call every couple weeks. We never were sure why but he convinced her to move to Chicago with him. 'A fresh new start.' she told us. "

Her voice struggled to stay strong as her lip trembled, swallowing down the tears that fought to break free she looked up to Joseph.

 

"The day she left to move was the last day any of us saw her. She went missing a month after the move, they found blood in the house and his car but never found her. So the day I lost my sister, I promised I was going to do something to make sure it wouldn't happen to another family. The minute I graduated high school I attended college for psychology, pre-law, sociology that sort of thing and then went to the Academy. "

Joseph reached forward and cupped her jawline softly, looking into her eyes for a moment, searching them as he thought of how to verbally react to the information she had told him. The last thing he ever expected was that sort of story to be why she became the Deputy, and suddenly her need to fight against him and his family at every turn had made sense to him. Leaning towards her, he softly placed a kiss upon her forehead then rested his against it.

"I am sorry, that happened to your sister. It happened to _you._ I understand why you are where you are today and I am telling you this now, Rebecca. You are much stronger than you realize you are. Never forget that, and I will never hold your need to fight for that against you."

Rebecca smiled, moving to cup her hand along his jawline as she captured his lips with hers once again. Somehow, some way him telling her this lifted any guilt she had against her part in the war, even if she now hated fighting against a man who is nothing but understanding of her, she knew she could continue if she had to. Joseph kissed her lips tenderly, pulling her closer to him resting one hand on her lap and the other around her waist, Rebecca moved happily closer to him finding a comfortable spot against his side.

 

"Thank you, Joseph. I meant it when I said I will try to do all I can when it comes to your siblings but things must be stopped. I know you cannot change your path, I know what I saw and I feel is coming but I cannot change my path either. All I can hope is in the end its worth it. This is war… I know there will be losses on all sides but I pray that we aren't all lost when whatever is coming happens."

She looked straight into his eyes as one single tear began its descent down her cheek only to be brushed away softly by Joseph’s thumb. He nodded, kissing her forehead again as she closed her eyes. It felt good to get that all off her chest, she hadn’t even talked about her sister in years it was too painful but behind all she did now was the drive to never let someone else experience that pain, she was glad to know someone else knew that about her. It was like a weight lifted and she felt lighter.

 

"I have to ask, who brought the watery mac and cheese?" 

Joseph was caught off guard by the question, looking down at her as he chuckled softly, knowing exactly what she was asking about. He welcomed the change of the conversation and it was a memory he remembered fondly from even before his family had gone to the pot luck barbeque in Falls End.

"That would be Jacob. I would say it is because he can't cook to save his life but in all honesty, our mother was a horrendous cook. Jacob's favorite meal when we were young was macaroni and cheese, our mother always messed it up one way or another….watered down, chunks of that cheese powder not properly mixed, noodles burned you name it. So when Jacob said he was going to make some to take with us I had hoped he learned how to actually cook the dish beforehand but I was mistaken. The look on his face when he said it was just like mom used to make…"

Joseph smiled thinking of the proud look on his brother's face, it didn't matter if the rest of them or the people at the pot luck thought it was atrocious including himself. He personally ate an entire bowl full when he saw it was being left untouched just so his brother could hold onto his sense of accomplishment in something that didn't revolve around complete violence.

 

"That's…not a side I'd expect from Jacob. I haven't met him yet but the things I hear from before he was even in Hope County…"

"My brother is troubled. The more time passes, the farther he gets from being that same person he once was. I am just happy I was able to witness it one last time." 

“Yeah. I get it…Noah is…” she sighed trying to find a way to describe her own brother. She had seen him slowly losing who he once was and becoming something else.

“Sometimes, we can guide our loved ones to see a better future. However, we cannot control how they try to achieve it.”

His words shocked her. Not because they were absurd but because he was completely right and in the end everyone wanted the same things but in their own way. Joseph wished to be prepared for the Collapse with his Family and Flock. Rebecca wished for peace and end of the bloodshed. However they seemed to be the only ones capable of a peaceful resolution to it all.  Sure, John and Faith may be easy enough to convince but Jacob was set in his path and never would falter from it. Rebecca would never want to try it but she knew some members of the Resistance could be convinced to other means but too many of them including her own brother wished the utter destruction of the Seeds and their Project.

“It’s too late to change how things are Joseph. We can only hope it doesn’t destroy everyone and everything.”

 

————

 

The two of them sat sharing stories back and forth finally getting away from topics that in some way would be about the war or current heartaches in general. They talked about their likes and dislikes; although it was Rebecca who went into that more than Joseph. She would gush about her favorite movies and tv shows, Joseph would sit back and listen while contemplating finding DVD copies to fill the time up with once the Collapse came. Joseph told her more about his brothers and what lead up to them being separated as children, the struggles he experienced on his own before reuniting his family.

“I heard you were married once.”

Joseph nodded.

“What…what happened to her?”

“She was in an accident and sadly didn’t make it. She was pregnant with our first child, my world began to crumble when they died.”

“Joseph, I am so sorry. I can’t imagine.”

“It was in God’s plan for me, it was another step that had led me here where I am today. Don’t be sorry, they are in true Paradise while all of us here on earth must prepare for the Collapse, and prepare to march on to a new Eden.”

 

Rebecca wasn’t sure how to respond to his reply, so she just smiled and nodded. They sat and talked a while longer, just until it started to get dark outside and Rebecca noticed her stomach actually grumbling.

“I was supposed to hunt today, there wasn’t really anything left here meal quality wise.”

“I have some provisions in my trunk. Just a couple packaged meals nothing special, I always keep some essentials in my vehicle you never know what could come up when I am driving in the county.”

With that, Joseph stood up from the couch and headed out to the car, returning moments later with a box full of food setting it down on the kitchen table. As she started to stand to her feet she heard the familiar sound of her radio coming to life in the other room. Causing her to change her direction from meeting him at the table to going to grab it as she tried to make out the garbled voice.

 

“Rook….trucks full…Jail…attack”

The voice wasn’t hard to distinguish even when mixed in the static. She nearly froze in place as she heard the same garbled mess come through only being able to hear Faith and her brothers name. Grabbing onto the radio she began trying to reach Whitehorse desperately hoping for more information. Hurrying around the small bedroom she began to get dressed, lacing her boots as Joseph came around the corner.

“Something is happening at the Jail. I think it’s Faith, I have to go.”

She didn’t look up, she didn’t want to ask if he knew it was going to happen. Her thoughts already warning her that maybe the past two days were just to keep her busy. Focusing on her own breathing she willed her Wrath down, telling herself it all was far too real to be a distraction.

“What?”

She didn’t respond, just stood from the bed going to grab her pack to gear up and make her way to the Jail. She tried to push past him but Joseph firmly grasped her bicep looking straight at her with that firing gaze that made her second guess ever arresting him to start.

“I asked you a question, Rebecca.”

His voice wasn’t the same soothing tone it had been. It was almost harsh and cold, deep within it held concern and confusion to this new information.

“The Jail is under attack. Pretty sure its Faith and my brother may be in trouble if not taken by that psychotic drug addict.”

Joseph’s jaw tightened at her new term for Faith, someone he loved as his sister. Rebecca stared back at him, her fist tightening around the shoulder strap of her pack.

“Let me go, Joseph. I swear to God if this was all a ruse.”

 

There went her plan to not bring up the doubts in her gut. Joseph stepped back giving her a look like she just ripped the air right out of his lungs.

“Allowing myself to give in to Sin isn’t a joking, nor light manner Rebecca. What we have done together was a Sin, one I wear on my flesh to remind myself not to again. I did with you.”

She sighed defeated, taking his hand softly in hers returning to the same soft tone from before the radio call.

“I’m sorry Joseph. It was real, but so is what’s happening out there.”

Rebecca released his hand turning on her heel to gather her things not saying another word. She knew she just hurt him but hoped he understood. The time she spent with him escaping the war and the darkness it was exposing in herself now had to be like a dream. It was time to get back to work and she hoped that didn’t mean having to rescue her brother again.


	38. Aftermath

She could hear her own heartbeat as she raced through the woods to the east of the jail. She had driven her rig past the main road to try and get a read on the assault; only to see Peggie trucks and smoke. In one hand was her 1911 pistol, the other her radio as she tried desperately trying to reach anyone behind the walls.

"Whitehorse? Do you copy?"

Static.

The closer she became the more she realized she did not need to try the radios, coming out of the tree line to see the remnants of the assault. Burnt out Peggie trucks, bodies dotting along the walls, the gates smoldering. Everything moved slowly as she looked around, her heart beating nearly out of her chest, her breath hitched in her throat. Slowly she moved over the burnt pavement, the world around her silent as she looked over the faces, seeing mainly bodies of Cultists outside the walls caused her to finally exhale.

 

"Rook!"

Rebecca turned to aim her gun towards the wall,  scoffing as she shook her head putting it back in its place on her hip. 

"God damn it, Whitehorse. You should know better than to scare me like that. Where's Noah?"

He didn't say a word, just motioned for the gate to be opened for her. Clenching her jaw she adjusted her pack, walking inside meeting Whitehorse near the door to the Jail itself. It was a sight all too familiar to her, he was pacing back and forth with his hands on his belt and a look on his face that meant he had something to say but had no idea how to.

 

"Where is Noah?"

She left no time for anything else to be said as she reached him. Her jaw clenched as she looked around for any sign of her brother. The Sheriff paused in his steps as he looked over to her.

"She's got him, Rook."

Rebecca froze, glaring at her uncle as she tried to take a breath only to feel it hitch in her throat.

"Who?"

"Who do you think, Rook? Faith Seed."

 

Again her jaw clenched as she took a step forward towards the man, her fists tightening quickly at her sides. She knew the minute Whitehorse said she had him, but she wanted to hear her own uncle say it. It was taking all of her strength not to lose control and to organize her thoughts in a way that her anger and point would come across without question. 

"How the fuck did that happen Whitehorse?! I ask you all for one, just _ONE_ thing so I can have a couple of days to get myself back into the fight after that bitch kept me locked in my own damn mind and not moving for three fucking weeks." 

"It's not like we didn't put up a fight Rook. He made the choice to go out there. Lord knows I told him to stay."

She raised her eyebrow as she placed her hands on her hips, preparing to verbally assault him as her way of asking what the hell he was talking about, but wasn't given the chance.

"Faith was in one of the trucks. Said if he came out quietly she would stop the assault on the Jail. Without consulting anyone he was over that wall and running right towards her. We heard gunshots and next thing we know the Cult is pulling out of here. Noah was nowhere to be found."

Reaching a hand up to the bridge of her nose, Rebecca tried to process the new information. How could her brother be so careless, so stupid? After a long silence and finally exhaling after realizing she wasn't doing the whole breathing thing very well she looked back to her uncle.

"I'll get him back, Sheriff. Keep this place safe until I do. And next time...Shoot him in the leg if you have to in order to stop him from being so fucking stupid."

 

Without giving him time to respond she blew past him to walk inside the jail, gearing herself up to set her brother free by any means necessary. Filling her pack with ammo, supplies and a couple of med packs and she was on her way, not stopping by to talk to anyone, she only had one thing left on her mind. Once she was a few miles down the road she paused, taking her radio off her belt to begin instructing her friends on what she needed from them. 

"Nick, I need you taking out Faith's shrines from your plane while you also look for any sign of that bitch and my brother. Grace, I want you on watch at the Jail. Sharky, do what you do best and barbeque some angels. More the better. As for everyone else, I don't want Faith able to move a damn muscle without my knowing it and I want to make it damn difficult to. Eyes out, radio in to the Jail or to Dutch with any updates. "

Her friends responded in their typical manners, members of the Cougars radioing back to let her know they saw Faith's truck blow past them and what direction she was going. She knew going to the bunker would be impossible; knowing Faith it was probably so filled with Bliss it was literally spilling out of the bunker itself not to mention heavily guarded. Still, she continued to walk towards the direction of the bunker knowing she wouldn't get there on foot in what was left of daylight, it would provide her time to decide what to do.

 

\-----

 

It was dark and quiet, an eerie stillness came over her as she sat looking towards the bunker. She watched as cultists came and went, although the movement was nearing a stop the later in the night it became. Rebecca had surprised herself in how little time it had taken her to get to Faith's gate and still she had no idea how she was going to actually get inside and save her twin brother.

"Give me something…"

She said as she continued to watch the main gates, waiting for a sign of her opening or even just proof her brother was really inside the bunker. Minutes felt like hours, every time she saw movement her heart leaped hoping it was something to give her some proof of her brothers whereabouts. By the time it reached 2 AM she had learned nothing besides the fact that one of Joseph's followers was still a smoker who would sneak just off his post for a cigarette every hour.

Sitting back on her heel she reluctantly exhaled, grabbing her pack from beside her and pulling out a hastily made lunch she managed to swipe before she left the jail. The hunger she felt when Joseph went to go get that box of provisions had been replaced by panic and later her Wrath. But as she sat there on the hillside with no clear plan of action it began to creep back, along with a pang of sudden guilt for how she left Joseph alone in that cabin.

The Resistance channels had long quieted down; reports of most outpost settling down for the night along with a majority of the transports. Grabbing her radio she stared down at it, wondering what she would even say if she was to turn it to the channel just for her and Joseph. Did he even want to speak to her? What would he think after how she left things.  She had tried to apologize for her sudden upset and near blaming him.  The sound of his voice when she had accused him left a hollow feeling deep inside of her, followed by the familiarity of what she felt the other night with him. Leaving no more time to second guess herself, she quickly turned the dial to channel 7. Holding the button down with her thumb as she tried to speak as confidently and sincerely as she could.

 

"Joseph. I don't know if you are hearing this, or even have your radio on. I am sorry for-- "

"There is no need for apologies, sweet Rebecca."

His voice was calm and soothed her. The feeling of being relieved that he was not angry or upset with her washed over as she leaned back against the tree trunk keeping an eye towards the bunker and roads leading to it. There was silence for a few moments, Rebecca was internally fighting herself on the fact she wanted to ask Joseph for help and just ending the call there. Ultimately, reason outweighed emotion. As much as she did not want to ask him, to get him involved and cross the enemy lines like this again she knew it was her only way to get confirmation of her brother's location.

"My brother…Faith has him, Joseph."

Silence followed from his end.

"I'm outside Faith's Gate… I've just been sitting here trying to find out some way to get in there and save him. I can't leave him there, Joseph….he can't be left in the bliss even for a short while. I don't even know if he's really there. Or how to find out if he is."

She paused, giving herself the quick rundown of reasons why she had to ask him. Reminding herself to use reason over emotion over and over again, reminding herself that running into that bunker blind and alone could be a death sentence. Be it literal or death to her mind lost inside the Bliss.

 

"Can you find out, if she has him. Please, Joseph…"

She pressed the radio to her forehead as she took a deep breath once more. Resting her elbows on her knees, and after a few deep breaths, she opened her eyes as she looked up towards the night sky. It was an exceptionally clear night, stars could be seen for miles and miles. In a way, it calmed her as she waited for Joseph's response.

"He was there, Rebecca."

Her breath hitched in her throat, looking towards the road she saw a familiar vehicle begin to drive down the road leading away from the bunker.

"What do you mean, _was?"_

She was afraid to hear his reply as she continued to watch him drive away from Faith's Gate and towards the direction of his compound.

"Down the mountainside from the statue. He will need you to help him clear his mind, Rebecca."

When the radio had cut out she knew he turned his off. Rising to her feet she geared up once more, hurrying swiftly through the dense forest towards the foot of the mountain praying to make it there before something worse happened to her brother. She knew if he was already out of Faith's Gate and with the words Joseph had chosen…he had just experienced the Bliss for himself.


	39. No Resisting The Bliss

“Welcome to the Bliss…”

Her voice was like a song on the wind, falling onto his ears as he opened his eyes to see her standing in front of him. He tried as hard as he could to hold his breath as she blew the mist into his face but it would not help. Soon his mind was spinning and he found himself standing in the same field his sister had described to him.

“I already told your sister this part….that you've heard stories about me. That I'm a _liar._ A _manipulator_. That I poison people's minds.”

Just as soon as he was in the field, he was following Faith as she walked down the path. Taking the same footsteps, his hands moving through the white flowers and grass just as she did along the way. He tried to will himself to stop following the woman so blindly, wishing to snap back to her words before she could continue on. No matter how hard he willed himself, how hard he tried it was of no use. His body was in a trance, his mind losing its clarity and soon all he could focus on was her voice as she turned him to face her.

"Well, let me tell you a different story. A true story."

 

They continued walking down the field, occasionally Faith turned to look at him leaving Noah without room to try and get away even if he had wanted to. _Where am I…_ was one of the first thoughts in his mind as he looked around. It was like Hope County but yet it wasn't. The animals dotting the field did not react to their presence. The prey that typically ran from him if he had gotten too close or the predators who usually would be trying to kill him if encountered just stayed complacent in their places. Grazing on the grass or just basking in the sun.

"There once was a young woman who had been ostracized by her community. Bullied by friends. Abused by her family."

Snapping him from his own thoughts, Faith took his hands leading him to sit down onto the soft grass with her as she began to tell him her story. Her eyes were kind and gentle, different than what he would have expected from someone with the reputation she had gained. Closing her eyes she drew back a breath fighting back her own tears as she continued on.

"She took to a needle for help. She was all alone. She wanted to die."

Her voice began to betray her own heartache as it became shaky and even broke for but a moment. Silence came over the two of them again as Faith regained her composure. Which did not take as long as Noah thought it would considering the story she was trying to feed him.

"But then she met The Father."

Her broken saddened voice was suddenly replaced with a happy and even giggling one as she hurried to her feet still holding his hand as she pulled him forward with her. Running until the large statue of Joseph Seed was visible through the mist when she turned to him her voice light and happy. She released his hand as she twirled and danced along with her words.

"He gave her hope and confidence. The Father showed her how special she was. She was full of love and life. He gave her a new family that accepted her just as she was."

She reached to frame his face, this time Noah felt able to just barely pull away before the urge to lean into her touch came over him. Deep inside he felt disgusted by himself, but at the surface, he clung to her words.

"The woman no longer wished to die. She had been given a purpose."

 

Outstretching her arms, some of the mist forming into angelic like wings as she hovered above him. Faith smiled radiantly down at him as her arms reached for him, without even thinking his arms met her as they began to move through the air towards the statue. 

"One day. The Father brought her here. He asked if she had faith in him. He asked if she would be willing to die for him. The young woman wished very much to live, was scared. The Father told her this was a test. He would have faith in her if she had faith in him."

Suddenly his feet landed harshly onto the stone book the statues hands held, his focus remaining on Faith.

"So she closed her eyes and leapt. The Father kept his word!"

A shocking revelation came across Noah as another figure standing near him came into his view. _Burke…_ was the only thing he could hold onto. He knew the Marshall was taken by Faith but seeing her standing with him on this statue was not expected.

"The path to Eden is clear, to those that have Faith.."

Her voice faded as she moved away from them. Shaking his head Noah tried to understand but it wouldn't be long before the answer was in front of him.

"Walk the Path."

 

Was all the Marshall said as he outstretched an arm to him before turning and falling right off of the book disappearing into the mist below. Looking over to Faith she offered only one more smile before she too disappeared but into her own puff of smoke.

" _What the hell….?"_

This wasn't right. If he jumped he would die. But what if he was dreaming? Wouldn't he just wake up from this nightmare and be able to figure out how the hell to get out of the mess he was in. Once again he wasn't able to hold onto his thoughts as Faith's voice surrounded him encouraging him to have Faith and to just let go. Urging him on to jump off the statue into whatever waited for him below.

" _Fuck it…"_

Shaking his head he ran towards the edge leaping right off with his arms outstretched. At first, it felt as if he could fly through the air until Faith's voice told him she would give him purpose and set him free. The ground was fast approaching him, his arms began to flail wildly wishing wings would appear for him as they had for Faith. He wanted to scream out but he couldn't, he had never wished harder that it was just a dream.

Then everything had gone to black.

——————

 

“Noah!!”

She screamed out as she saw her brother lying on the ground surrounded by bodies and parachutes. Running as fast as her legs would carry her towards him, every possible negative outcome appearing in her thoughts. Landing harshly onto the ground next to him she began to check her brother's vitals and signs for injuries, sitting back in confusion in finding none.

"What the actual hell…"

Leaning down she listened to her brother's breathing, checking his pulse on his wrist one more time to make sure she wasn't imagining the fact her brother was perfectly fine. He was unconscious but he was fine. Grabbing her radio off her hip she called into the Jail for hurried transport sitting back and waiting to see if he would wake up on his own.

"What happened to you Noah."

She shook her head as she looked up the mountainside towards the large statue sitting on top of it. She began to stop wondering how it was her brother was okay to how Joseph knew where to find him. His promise remained in her thoughts, she knew it would anger him to hear Faith had taken Noah again and the amount of bliss undoubtedly used. Was Joseph losing control over his so-called Heralds? Or was it a plan he wasn't wanting to come into fruition quite yet. Either thought was not one she wanted to entertain because both would ultimately be catastrophic.

 

"Burke.."

His voice was barely audible but snapped her from her thoughts. Gasping she smiled looking down at her twin brother whose head was now cradled in her lap. Moving her hand over his forehead she brushed some of his messy light brown hair out of his face, smirking to herself at how long it was getting. Noah always was more clean cut, especially being former army.

"No, Don't!"

His voice was louder as he jumped to a sitting position causing Rebecca to try and grab onto him best she could so he didn't harm himself.

"Shh…Noah. Noah! It's me."

She tried to reach his mind, knowing how scrambled he may feel as he began to wake up. The next few minutes were mainly her attempting to wrestle her much bigger brother and keep him on the ground. All the while she was trying to remain calm herself and soothe him into realizing it was her and not some enemy.

 

"Becks…?"

She smiled as she relaxed some, seeing her brother looking up at her with some clarity appearing in his eyes. The color returning to its greenish-blue hues as his eyebrows furrowed clearly in trying to understand what was going on.

"Yeah, it's me. I'm here. It's okay Noah." 

"Where am I?"

"Uh…bottom of a mountain…"

Noah looked around seeing the scattered bodies of Peggies, his eyebrow raising. As he looked up and slightly behind them memories began forming again. _Did that shit really happen….It wasn't a dream?_

"I..I was with Faith. I think the Bliss. She took me to the statue and told me to jump…Burke was there. I thought I was dreaming and tried that whole 'If you die in a dream you wake up' theory."

Rebecca scoffed shaking her head. Noah was sure she was pissed but when she looked down at him with a smile he was utterly confused.

"You've officially seen way too many movies. Far as I can tell Faith drugged you, and you jumped. You had a parachute and maybe your army instincts kicked in and you opened it... When I found you, you were just laying on the ground and your parachute was behind you."

She pointed over to it, Noah sat up again looking just slightly to their right.

"I'll be damned…I must be Captain America then."

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Noah. You got lucky. What the fuck where you thinking?!"

"Well…Thought I could get close enough to kill the bitch and that’s one area liberated."

 

His response shocked her, and her face showed it. Shaking her head she tried to organize her thoughts before giving a response. She couldn't tell him about her promise to Joseph if he knew she was alone with the man let alone all the other details he would fly off the hinges. She couldn't tell him she promised Joseph she would try everything in her power to not resort to killing his siblings, and inside it wasn't a promise for him but herself and more importantly her brother.

"Noah…"

"Don't Becks. I know, you told me not to piss her off and not to go after her alone."

"It's not just that Noah. We aren't murderers. This may be a war and I get that…but we are cops. We should at least try to bring them down without killing them. Promise me you won't try that again until everything else has been exhausted. There has to be something when this is all over."

He wanted to clench his jaw, but she was right. Shaking his head, choosing not to say anything he hugged his sister. He was the soldier, she never was. More importantly, she was the most stubborn woman he ever met, and if her mind was made up to try other methods first he wasn't going to try and convince her otherwise. Plus, he needed her until the very end…was no use pissing her off this early in the war.

"Alright, but trust me when I say there isn't another way. Because that time will come to Becks."

"Trust me and I trust you, Noah. It's always been that way, always will be. "

 

It wasn't much longer until their transport arrived and they made their way to the Jail. Noah was admitted into the triage; Whitehorse telling Rebecca no one comes out of the Bliss clean and they needed to follow their new protocol. Noah didn't argue much and it left Rebecca time to plan their next moves. While Noah rested, she first handled reinforcing the jail's defenses and walls, checked in with their ally's for updates and planning for a meeting in the morning at the Jail.

It was a relatively peaceful night, a night where she wasn't going to sit back and enjoy the silence. She was going to use it. Rebecca wouldn't sleep at all that night, she would study every piece of intel and every map she had as she figured the next plans of attack. If the recent events were any indication, Faith had no control once her buttons were pushed and it didn't take much to do that. She was going to take back the Henbane River Region, and it was going to happen immediately. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry it took so long for this newest chapter, life had gotten a bit crazy over the last couple weeks but hopefully, there is a small calm before the next stage in the insanity takes place. So! I am hoping to post a couple of chapters a day until I get extremely busy with the move and everything again. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and I have a couple questions... What do you think is to come for our favorite Twins? Will their opposing thoughts on dealing with the threat of the Cult come to a collision or will they somehow manage to keep moving forward?


	40. Game Plan

They all sat around the table, discussing methods and ideas for hours. Rebecca sat staring at her bottle of water, tapping her pen against the pad of paper in front of her as she sat back in her chair. Noah and Grace were arguing about what were the best outposts to take out first. Nick and Sharky had seemingly checked out of the conversation to debate over the existence of the Little People of the Pryor Mountains yet again. Whitehorse and Virgil were discussing contingency plans if the Jail becomes a target again; the chances of it seemingly higher every day.

 

She began to rub her pointer and middle fingers over her right temple. Looking around the room she began to think over her plan, waiting to see if anyone had anything productive to suggest that hadn't been already. Rebecca waited several more minutes before she stood up, raising her voice to get everyone's attention again.

 

"Enough!"

 

Each and every one of them silenced looking up to the woman who stood now with her closed fists against the metal table.

 

"Noah and I will handle the outposts. Grace, I want you to remain posted here running our intel lines and helping Whitehorse and Virgil with keeping this place fortified and defended. Nick, we still have a lot of Chosen planes in the skies over the entire county, it's not just John's region. We need you remaining in the skies as much as you can, we have lost far too many of our pilots and you are the best we have to lower the cult's numbers too. Everyone else, keep to your jobs or just on your toes waiting to hear from me or Noah for what is next. We have to take out as many of these outposts as we can to get more of our people posted throughout the county."

 

Everyone nodded, agreeing to the plan she was setting in motion. Noah and Rebecca looked across the table to each other as she drew back a long breath, Noah nodding in support of his sister. He was always the action man, she was typically the brains and the voice. They both could play that role when need be, but for now, he was glad to let her be the voice and together they would put it all into action.

 

"Alright, everyone have your radios on you at all times. Check in with any important information to Dutch. Let's get to work."

 

Grabbing her water bottle she walked out of the room, heading towards one of the smaller offshoot rooms she chose for her own quarters. Before the twins would head towards the first outpost she needed to center herself, prepare what was to come. As much as she wished for a peaceful resolution, she could feel in her bones that when it came to the Henbane River…to Faith, it wouldn't be possible.

 

\-------

 

Working up a list of supplies they would need and giving it to Noah just to buy herself some more time alone seemed to be working so far. Rebecca sat onto her bunk ruffling her long chocolate locks as she let out an exceptionally heavy sigh. Looking over to her pack next to the door and the radio beside it, she felt herself wanting to just call Joseph and ask him to turn Faith over to them peacefully. She wanted to try and negotiate a way to end this whole thing better but she knew it wouldn't be possible. The look in his eyes the minute she confronted him in that cabin, the tone in his voice when he told her where to find Noah. Even Joseph was realizing where this all was leading for the region…even he knew Faith was losing control.

 

"Fucking drug addicts…" She said under her breath as she pushed off the bed, heading over to her small metal locker. She only fumbled seconds on her lock before she threw the door open and began searching the contents inside. Somehow she managed to find a pair of jeans and a t-shirt that wasn't completely caked in mud and blood nor too worn to trust not to experience wardrobe malfunction in the field.

 

Tossing her leather jacket to the bed she began undressing, looking over her body and seeing soft marks she didn't realize were there before. A smile came across her lips as her fingers grazed over the soft bruise along her lower abdomen, knowing exactly where it came from. It was where Joseph had marked his territory on her body just two nights before, and deep inside she wanted to go back to that peaceful existence. She knew it was a mistake on her part, she knew that Joseph coming to her could have been his way to get into her mind. But she also knew it was real. That didn't matter now, all that did was that Faith had nearly killed both her and her brother. Before that, she had been drugging and kidnapping the people of the Henbane River and she had to be stopped no matter what it took.

 

A loud knock on her door caused her to jump and snap out of her own mind. She was getting lost there more often than not these days, and she was starting to think that was the true danger of her situation.

 

"Becks?"

 

"Yeah."

 

"Why is your door locked?"

 

She rolled her eyes at the fact her brother seriously had just asked her that. Laughing softly she quickly threw on the pair of jeans and t-shirt, followed by her jacket and boots before opening the door.

 

"Because Noah. I'm still a woman who likes her privacy when she's changing…and I'm pretty sure I caught Sharky trying to sneak a peek back at 8-Bit a while back."

 

She smirked remembering the look on his face when she turned around to see Sharky and Hurk standing by the partly opened door of the office when she was changing. She wasn't sure if they seriously tried to sneak a peek or just was a wrong place, wrong time. Either way…she learned to make sure doors were closed and locked when she could.

 

"Well, everything is in the truck ready to go. You figure where we are hitting first?"

 

Rebecca smirked, a glint appearing in her eye as she grabbed her guns and her pack.

 

"Jessop's. Virgil has a job for us there…and I feel like giving a big fuck you to Faith."

 

"You heard her, boy. Let's ride."

 

Peeking around the corner, Rebecca smiled seeing Boomer sitting patiently next to Noah. Leaning down she pat the pup's head softly and clicked her tongue. Before they knew it the twins, Boomer and Peaches were in the truck headed right for the Conservatory. Faith wanted to up the ante…they were about to make their call.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like a broken record with why my postings are delayed, so...I am hoping to get to update more often but we will see what life throws at me! I have been in a writers block rut for so long now and am working on my way through it. I am now taking writers prompts and questions on my tumblr @xxrockerangelxx or my instagram (same handle). I also am launching a tumblr just for Rebecca as well as getting a new discord server up and running! But I hope you all like this newest chapter and please let me know what you think!


	41. Hello, Wrath.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNINGS:
> 
> This chapter touches on domestic abuse, murder and other violence. Read at your own discretion.

Fire engulfed each of the small patches of flowers surrounding the conservatory, the heat warming her skin as blood dripped down her fingertips. Breathing heavily she looked over the man laying on the cold ground, her 1911 pistol still cocked in her hand. Small explosions took place around the property, the mixture of both Cougars and Peggie's yelling instructions and to attack filling the air as another glass window broke in the main building. Yet her eyes did not move away from the face in front of her, her hand shaking as she moved her sight over him.

"How are you even here…."

Tears welled in her eyes as her voice shook yet her hand became steady as a rock. Looking behind him her eyes met her brother's who stood over the man holding a pickaxe in one hand, his pistol in the other. Noah nodded to his sister as she clenched her jaw, taking two steps towards him while Noah fought off incoming cultists.

"WHY ARE YOU HERE?!"

She shouted as she held her gun closer towards his head. The man held his hand out, beginning to beg for his life but Rebecca couldn't hear it. It was finally happening, her Wrath was bubbling inside of her and it was about to erupt and she did not care to stop it. Taking a deep breath she calmed herself, kneeling down to be nearly the same height as the man; causing Noah to hold his gun close to the back of his head. Rebecca smirked as she wanted to dare him to try something.

 

"Why are you here… _Andrew_."

 "Well don't you know little girl. I came back home…Some time after your sister left I began missing her something terrible….so I came back home. Wouldn't you know it there was a new regime in town…Joseph Seed and his Project. Didn't ask what I've done in the past…Didn't care…Welcomed me right in." 

Without even a thought she swatted the butt of her pistol right across his face. Her jaw clenched tighter, not knowing if she was angry the piece of filth was really in front of her…or that Joseph let just anyone into his cult. Neither should have surprised her yet both did. Clearing her throat she smiled, moving her gun under his chin forcing him to look her in the eyes.

"You mean after you killed her. You aren't fooling anyone, anymore Andrew. We know you killed her…and I won't try and ask where you left her we both know you wouldn't tell the truth and not like I'm getting out of Hope County to try and find out."

 The man scoffed, causing Rebecca to grab onto his shirt with her free hand pulling him towards her. Noah stood back watching her, the remainder of the cultists making a run for the hills. The Resistance won…Jessop conservatory was theirs and their plan to weed out Feeney for assassination was successful with the fiery crash of his helicopter. 

 

"Was this what it was like for my sister? You beat on her…terrorized her. Made her beg for the end?"

"Her screams are still my lullaby"

Andrew then spit in her face. Rebecca wiped it off with her sleeve before she looked back at him. 

"Well…be glad I am more merciful than _God_ , Andrew…because where you're going…you'll wish for a lullaby again."

Then without thought she pulled the trigger, her gun held close under his chin. Standing up slowly she used her sleeve again; this time to wipe off the blood from her face. Staring at her brother she nodded, turning and walking away from the property. Noah spit on the man's corpse and followed behind her. The twins reached a whole new area of things…this wasn't the war. It was personal…and now she tapped into her Wrath, Rebecca wasn't sure if she wanted to ever control it again.

 

\---------------

 

The two of them sat on top of the hill watching the sunset over the mountains and watched the road as the Cougars came by the truckload to occupy the newly liberated outpost. Not much was said…Noah called back to the Jail with the update; only the needed information, and checked on the progress of the other plans. 

Rebecca mainly replayed the afternoon over and over in her head as she tried to organize her own emotions. Part of her felt torn apart at the fact she so easily and brutally killed someone, another was glad a chapter in her life was officially over. Her own anger terrified her, and she knew anyone else who witnessed it would be worried to.

 

"What now, boss."

Noah nudged his sister softly with his shoulder in an attempt to bring her back to reality. Rebecca sighed softly, massaging her hands together in thought. She was still caked in blood; unsure of how much of it was her own, the cultists they just fought against, Cougars or even Andrews blood covering her. That was the price of war…that is what it meant to be out here now. Looking over to him she nudged him back a smile crossing her face.

"Our sister is at peace now…her killer is dead. Now we just have this damn war to worry about." 

They both laughed as a way to break the tension over it all. If things weren't already completely messed up in Hope County they both would have wanted a different outcome for their sisters killer. Now the realization things would never be the same again, and a new world already was born in their little county in Montana. It wouldn't matter what vision Joseph claimed to have of what was to come, in this moment on top of that hill it felt like the Collapse as he would call it was already happening.

 

"Well…we still have a few outposts to take out. People to save." 

"Hell, you make it sound like it’s the family business or some shit, Noah."

"Maybe it is, Becks. Even if it wasn't in the beginning it sure as shit will be from now on."

She smiled, nodding again as she stood to her feet, pulling her pack once again over her shoulders. Noah followed suit, resting one hand heavily on her shoulder as they looked over the valley. 

"It's a new day Noah. We sure as hell will have pissed Faith off already, it's time we take Drubman's back. Adelaide has been asking we take it back for a while…and last update we had was days ago. Now she’s gone radio silent."

Noah nodded.

"Drubman's it is, sis. We got work to do."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a very emotional one for me to write and I had struggled deciding if I wanted to even add it. I personally felt this was a moment so detrimental to Rebecca finally getting some peace after her sisters disappearance while also provide the first glimpse of her actual Wrath. Trust me when I say the events of this chapter will have ramifications in the future some obvious ..some more disguised. 
> 
> Thank you everyone for your continued support! It has been a busy summer and certainly a stressful one so I haven’t had much of a chance to write...and honestly I had a serious case of writers block. We will finally be moving this month officially (Fun of having to move an actual house before you can move INTO it!) so once we settle in I’ll hopefully be able to update much more regularly. Let me know what you think of this story so far!


	42. Storm on the Horizon

After using the remainder of the evening to hike their way to their lookout points near Drubman's and taking the night and early morning to run reconnaissance it was clear to the both of them that Faith was pumping up her security. It didn't surprise Rebecca; especially given how quickly they had taken Jessop's back from her and the brutality that followed for Andrew and Fenney.

They studied each of the guard rotations, learning as much information as they can before making their move. Alarms. Snipers. Then pick off the rest as they come. Even with the beefed security the Cultists never stood a chance. Rebecca was too focused, her Wrath still burning deeply inside although she had managed to regain some self-control. Noah was just as focused but was more focused on keeping his eye on his sister. As long as she wanted to keep going, he had to. He wasn't going to separate from her again any time soon after what had just happened.

The following days were pretty routine especially after helping Adelaide get her helicopter fondly named Tulip back. The number of aircraft flying over the Henbane region decreased after the 3rd day of Nick and Adelaide running interference. Noah stayed close by the Jail overlooking the improvements to their defense; mainly the fortification of the gate and walls themselves while his sister had gone on a scouting mission of the remaining outposts and cult strongholds. In all honesty, the two of them needed to take a beat and reframe their state of minds after the events of Jessop’s Conservatory.

 

"Well, seems like the walls may hold this time Sheriff."

Noah patted the wall twice as he smiled over at his uncle who was looking over the latest intel reports. Shaking his head the young man chuckled, walking over to look over Whitehorse's shoulder.

"Yeah, well it better. We kicked the hornet's nest kid and Faith is about to show us her cards."

"You know you just combined two different sayings together right? And let her come, we are ready."

Noah couldn't hold back a chuckle at his uncle's choice in expression leaving off with a smug smirk nearly hoping somehow Faith could see him challenging her.

"There's no such thing as being ready for Faith and her Bliss, Rook. No outsmarting her either, I sure hope Rebecca knows what she's doing, and I hope we didn’t piss her off too much before we have a real foothold here."

Noah ruffled his hair a bit and pat his uncle on the back. He was worried as well, his last encounter with Faith leaving far too much to be desired. The men talked over the information that was flooding in about Cult movements. Learning that Faith had not left her bunker since they had taken back Drubman's and that the Father himself was seen entering the area were signs something had to be coming and soon. It was the calm before the storm.

 

————————

 

In the silence she could hear her own thoughts, in her time alone she couldn’t stop reliving it over and over again. Her legs hung over the cliff's edge as she watched the combination of patrols and those who chose to walk Faith’s pilgrimage passed on the bridge across from her perch. She had told her brother she was going to be scouting the few remaining outposts and at first she had…but then the voice began haunting her again. Ever since she had killed the man who stole her sister away she kept hearing Faith’s voice encouraging her to ‘Walk the Path’ and the feeling she had deep inside was just wanting to understand everything even more.

She had reached for her radio, tempted to turn it to the channel she knew Joseph was waiting for her on but she couldn’t muster the courage to actually do it. She remembered the look on his face when she assumed he was keeping her occupied so Faith could assault the Jail…the sound in his voice and short answers when her brother was taken. She wanted to hear his voice again, and at the same time, she was so furious with him. He had accepted men like Andrew into his ‘flock’, the fact shouldn’t surprise her after witnessing his own brother’s actions in the Valley and Faith’s in the River regions. Why now had she suddenly decided to be so angry with him?

Setting the binoculars down with a heavy sigh she decided on some kind of action. Standing to her feet she packed her gear into her backpack, placing her weapons on their appropriate place and made her way to the cabins where she had observed the apparent beginning of the pilgrimage.

 

“ _Rebecca...This_ _is insane…but maybe it’s how I learn what I need to know. Best way to do this…hide in plain sight.”_   She was fighting a battle with herself that was pointless. No matter how much she did, it was the right move. 

Finding a place just off the path she waited, watching as people marched past her in small groups of two or three. Waiting for someone who would be easy to catch off guard and was alone. Just before nightfall, she had found it…a woman who had decided to let her guard down knelt by one of the Eden's crosses and began to pray. Rebecca moved quickly behind her, knocking her out with a swift hit to the back of the head before dragging her back to her hiding place. 

She thought to herself as she hurried to change into the Cultist’s clothing. Looking down at the woman she sighed, shaking her head once she realized she knows her, Rebecca couldn't help but lean down and check her wound fearing she may have injured someone she was once friends with as a child. Sitting back on her heels she sighed looking down at a face she could barely recognize anymore, the face of a woman who could be one Bliss dose away from becoming an Angel herself.

"Oh, Mik…what happened to you?"

Tears welled in her eyes, reaching into her backpack she found a fresh bottle of water and the last packet of Tylenol she had, setting it down next to her. Standing up she slung the bag back around her shoulder and cleared her throat softly. It was not the time to let her emotions get the best of her and luckily she didn't have to engage in combat against her…the woman would wake up in a couple of hours with one hell of a headache but she would live. For that, she could be thankful and put the rest aside.

 

Making her way around the currently empty cabins, Rebecca headed down the path stopping to read the first slab resting below Eden's Cross marking the beginning of the Path. _Joseph Seed hears the Voice. It calls on to him to become a leader to give hope to wayward souls._ It reads and she chuckles. Rebecca still didn't believe Joseph necessarily was a prophet nor that he was saving souls but she knew there was something about him. In every way, he was meant to be her enemy but she couldn't deny he was a powerful leader.

Continuing forward she began noticing sporadic blood trails along the ground along with broken shells. The walk to the second marker was uneventful, making her even more grateful she decided to walk it at night.  _Joseph Seed affirms his obedience to the Voice by cleansing himself with his own two hands. Becoming born again._  Again, Rebecca couldn't help herself from chuckling, although the reasons for it were much more sinful than Joseph would want someone thinking when walking the Pilgrimage.

Thunder began to rumble over the mountains as dark clouds made their way to make an already dark night even more ominous. Looking around she could see the steeple of a nearby church just over a small hill. Not wanting to take any chances with an incoming storm she hurried towards the church stopping in her tracks when she saw a small group of Angels gathered around the body of an elk that had to have died hours ago.

 

"Fuck…"

She had encountered enough Angels to know there was no hoping they would believe she was another one of the Faithful. Looking around she pulled her sniper off its holster on her pack, hurrying to place its silencer once again over the barrel not wanting to risk detection if there were camps or even predators nearby. Aiming down her sight she hurried to fire a precise headshot to each of them before they could figure out where it was coming from.

"Zombified fucks…"

She whispered as she put the gun back in its place, replacing it with her pistol she moved closer to the church. Her eyes scanning the perimeter, waiting for any others to emerge. Sure enough just as she passed the fallen bodies barely visible from the quickly covered moon, from a nearby tree line emerged three more Angels accompanied by two armed Peggies.

"Shit…"

She scoffed as she raised her gun, shooting the cultists first and then the Angels. Another loud crash of thunder shook the valley around her and the rain began to fall as if heaven's gate itself had opened.

"Okay…admittedly a bit creepy."

She said as she turned towards the church running for the doors. Struggling at first to pull them open once she finally did she ended up stumbling inside. Soft laughter escaped her lips as she closed the door behind her. As she tried to smooth some of the water off her face and out of her hair she gasped as a figure came into focus sitting on the small step that would have housed a former alter...the sight causing her breath to hitch in her throat. 

"Hello, Rebecca."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, finally, my writer's block has broken! I was just kind of wandering around the Henbane River region and some inspiration came to me. Of course this meant a LOT of rewrites and some new chapters coming through but hopefully, it means I can share several chapters near to each other. Thank you again for all your love and support it is what keeps me going!


	43. Chance Encounters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> NSFW Chapter! What else could happen when Rebecca comes across him in the middle of a storm?

She took one step back as her vision cleared and she could see him fully. For a moment she began to worry she just stepped into another Bliss hallucination causing her to look around for the signs she knew signaled she was inside the Bliss. Finding none, she realized she had stood there in silence with possibly a crazed look on her face, even had held her own breath since the moment he had said her name that she was sure worried him.

"Rebecca…"

His voice was velvet, a smile crossed his face as he stood and began to walk towards her. In that moment the anger and confusion she had felt before had completely melted away. Walking to meet him in the middle of the chapel, she allowed herself to smile and show her happiness to see him with a hurried step. Despite how much just thinking of that emotion caused her conflicted mind to swim with arguments, she pushed them away from effecting her actions.

"Joseph."

She whispered his name as she walked to meet him in the middle of the chapel, her eyes looking up into his as Joseph towered over her. Just as he was about to say something else she quickly pulled him towards her, their lips colliding together into an electrifying kiss that challenged the storm outside to match. With one arm wrapping tightly around her petite waist and his other hand tangled in her hair, pulling her tightly against his bare torso he returned with a passionate fervor.

They did not leave their desires to hang merely on their passionate kisses. In each other's embrace, they moved away from the middle of the room up towards the stair he once sat, discarding their clothes across the room leaving only undergarments between them. Turning her slowly, Joseph leaned her back and gently placed her on the knocked over podium. His lips moved from hers, kissing hungrily down her jawline and to her neck taking his time to relish in each and every inch of her.

 

Rebecca tried her best to still her breathing, but as soon as he teasingly bit and sucked on her collarbone, she could not help but to release an excited moan. Joseph smiled against her neck placing one more soft kiss over the fresh mark he had left upon her.

"How you quickly tempt me back into Sin, sweet Rebecca."

He spoke softly and straightened to look at her, his hand moving to gently cup her cheek, his gaze fixated on her own. She bit her lip as she stared right back at him, she wasn't interested in conversation or leaving a moment for doubt to creep in and change her mind. After all, she had been through in the last couple of weeks she only wanted one thing right there in that church, to make everything else melt away as he had done so before. Leaning into him she kissed him once more, lingering on his lips as long as she could manage, taking his lower lip in between her teeth and pulling it lightly before she released.

Pulling away she looked into his eyes hoping just that kiss would bring him back to task. He wore a partial grin she had only seen before back at Jones place. As if they could read one another's mind they shed what little clothing remained from each other, passionate kisses and teasing lip bites to accompany it all. Rebecca wrapped her arm around his shoulder as Joseph wrapped his around her waist pulling her onto his bare lap. In that moment, they were the matching pieces of a puzzle, they eased into allowing their lust take over them, she fit perfectly in his arms and effortlessly he found himself buried deep inside of her.

 

Gasping moans filled his ear as she felt him fill her completely, wrapping her arms tighter around his shoulders causing her naked body to press against tightly against his.  Every touch from him felt as if it set her skin on fire, but it didn’t burn her only leaving her craving more. His lips found their place on her neck, slow powerful thrusts inside of her driving her equally as wild.

“Joseph..”

She moaned as she began moving her hips in tandem to his. His hands roamed her body freely, taking time to memorize each curve, scar and the smooth feeling of her skin under his hand all over again, making note of any new ones he had found. While she scratched slowly across his back, hard enough to cause his skin to rise and turn red.

 

As the storm outside raged on, threatening to knock the boards haphazardly nailed to the broken windows out of their place, Rebecca felt herself become lost in him. Their combined moans filled the room, Joseph plunged himself deep inside of her, Rebecca moved her hand from his shoulder around to his chest, unwrapping her legs from around his waist and pushing him to lay back on the floor. Keeping one palm pressed firmly against his chest she began to rotate her hips quickly, causing his breath to quicken as his hands resting contently on her hips.

Closing her eyes she focused just on how he felt. His hands on her hips, the feeling of him inside of her, the sound of his breath and the occasional moan or when he would say her name. She let it all take her away at that moment, all that had plagued her mind before melting away and ceasing to forget. She pushed her hips forward causing him to hit her own g-spot;  to which he to give her a second taste as she was settled on top of his member. She gasped and moaned loudly when he had, rocking her hips as she rode him, quickly turning into a competition of who could drive who to the brink first. She would rotate her hips; changing direction and speed at a moments notice, he held her hips firmly as he bucked underneath her. As she reached nirvana she opened her eyes and looked down into his, her nails pressing down into his chest as she struggled to stay sitting upright on top of him.

With a gasp and her entire body tensed and she felt the flow of body-rocking pleasure erupt, her sweet juices flowing over his engorged cock as her walls squeezed him. Another hard thrust caused another wave to come, a satisfied grin crossing Joseph's face as he brought one orgasm after another from her. Grabbing her from the back of her neck he pulled her down to kiss him, muffling her moans as he had taken full control. His hand slid from her hip to just under her ass as he turned her over onto her back, taking very little time to resume his steady pace feeling Rebecca's body tremble underneath him.

Moments passed where they felt themselves lost in the act, exploring each other's bodies and stealing addictive kisses when they could. He had brought her to the brink and held her there before another wave of orgasmic pleasure came from her again; only this time he had joined her. She had pulled him to kiss her again, feeling as if she couldn't breathe without stealing a few more away as they climaxed together knowing as soon as they had it would be over and soon enough she would part and have to pretend none of it had happened.

 

\----------------

 

Breathlessly, Joseph laid down beside her, an arm draped over her waist as they looked into each other's eyes waiting to see who would break the silence first. Rebecca was content laying there, saying nothing and not worrying about the outside world past listening to the rainfall, wishing she could fall asleep even if the cold hardwood floor wasn't the most comfortable.

"And so, again we have indulged in Sin again, together."

Sitting partially up she simply stared at Joseph, unsure if he was upset over what they had just experienced together or if he was glad of it. She desperately searched his face and her confusion was not lost on him. He joined her, taking a hand to caress her cheek rubbing his calloused thumb across her skin and kissed her forehead softly. Closing her eyes she breathed deeply, finding that familiar smell of sandalwood that comforted her mixed with the combination of sweat and sex. Another soft kiss, one that lingered on her lips even after he pulled away to look into her eyes, a smile crossing her lips as she looked into his.

 

"I do not regret this, and I never will but it is still a sin to be together in this way."

This time she could not help but chuckle as she rested a hand on his wrist, her thumb grazing over the rosary that always hung there.

"Joseph, stop thinking like a preacher. Not right now…not after--"

"It is who I am, I cannot stop being that no more than you can stop needing air."

 

She wanted to be annoyed with him, but she knew he was right. It was what irritated her yet drew her to him at the same time. Sighing softly she nodded, choosing not to apologize but understanding him.

"You are meant to be here with me, Rebecca. By my side…joining me in the new Eden we can build together."

"Joseph…we have talked about this…" 

"Indeed we have. Yet tonight you walked into this church on the Path. Wearing the clothes of my followers and it has led me to have hope perhaps you have begun to change your mind."

 

His words caused her breath to catch again as she did not even think about the clothes she was wearing when she came in. Looking around she began noticing writing sprawled out on the walls clearly written by some of his followers…short snippets from the Book of Joseph or repeated phrases she had heard repeated many times.

"I was wearing them to blend in…and yes I was walking the Path. I was curious and it cuts through an ideal way to scope out areas of the region I haven't really explored yet."

Tucking a lock of hair behind her cheek she stood up, beginning to gather her clothes that were strewn about around them as Joseph stayed sitting on the ground looking up at her. She didn't look back to him, she couldn't see that look of disappointment and hurt on his face again, the last time stung badly enough. Did she enjoy tormenting herself in such a way? Allowing herself to be vulnerable and intimate with him even though she would have to leave and continue fighting against him, there had to be something broken deep inside. As she had pulled the sweater over her head and tried finding her jeans she looked over to see him finish clipping his belt.

"Joseph…I'm sorry. It's just…"

He looked up to her with the same calm, stoic expression she had seen so many times. The look that left it difficult to know what was on his mind if you did not know what to look for, subtle signs of his pleasure or displeasure to a situation or conversation. His face remained the same but in his eyes, she could see, perhaps she was not the only one torn from it all.

 

"I know you heard about what happened at Jessop's…and no, I do not want to talk about that right now. I lost a piece of myself out there, and I don't know if I can ever find it again."

She swallowed hard as she leaned down to grab her pants from behind a misplaced pew, Joseph had taken this chance to close the distance between them again. As she stood up his arms wrapped around her again, his embrace making her feel safe all over again.

"I know. In time you will find yourself again but it will not come without letting every piece of that out and repenting for it. My only hope, Rebecca, is you come to me to do so before more of your soul burns from the burden of your sins."

Leaning up on her tiptoes she kissed him again. She couldn’t agree to such action right now, not when she could feel everything with Faith coming to a tipping point and she wasn't ready to really let that part of her be displayed so openly. Maybe she just was afraid to wear her sin. Maybe, she was just afraid that if he knew everything she had done, thought and felt he would once again look at her as he did that first night in his church…that she was the _Hell_ that was coming to destroy all he had built.

 

"Just promise to give me time, Joseph. In the times it is just _us_ …I know I cannot ask that in the event one of your siblings takes me again; which we know is bound to happen soon. Shit, it could happen as soon as I leave this church, with how angry Faith is."

He smiled and kissed her forehead again before she hugged her arms around his bare waist and pressed her ear to his chest where he couldn’t again.

"That is a promise I can make you."

They did not say anything else on the topic as they finished getting dressed, Rebecca back into the cultist clothing she had stolen earlier and Joseph into his button-up shirt and leather vest. In all honesty, she hated when he actually wore a shirt and preferred for the times he didn't but after the last two hours they had spent together, she was sure it was for the best. Didn't need anyone questioning marks left all over his chest and back after spending an evening in a church...allegedly alone. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So once again...I struggled horribly with this chapter. Please leave a comment and leave me your thoughts, I am still learning my own style for when it comes to writing smut so comments and thoughts always help (Please be gentle!) Thank you as always for continuing on following my story <3


	44. Happiness

Walking away from the chapel she looked back once more, half a smile on her face as she saw him leaning against the molding just inside the doorway watching her as she left. It was still the early hours of the morning, the sun had yet to begin to wake the county, but if she wanted to walk more of the path with a lowered chance of being recognized or attacked she had to go as soon as the storm clouds had lifted.

The time she spent with Joseph left her feeling relaxed and even more focused on not just the current task at hand but those to come. It also made the guilt of having to do what it took to fight the war even worse but it was another thing on her list to push deep down any time it tried to creep into her thoughts; just like wanting to be with him. Even with how peaceful he makes her feel in those moments they were alone, even with the calm he brought she couldn't let that side of her take over.

She knew just with the little Joseph had ever said to her about Faith even he was worried…was he losing control? Or did she help him see what was right in front of him, just as he had opened her eyes to what could come?  If she wanted to save her friends, to save her _family_ she had to let her wrath stay just below the surface, learn to use it…let it focus her. When she was with Joseph she let her guard down and as she walked the path she realized it wouldn't just immediately return. Once again, she was thankful it was just before dawn and it would be unlikely to find someone on the Path.

 

Just as the sun was beginning to rise over Angel’s Peak she had managed to make it to the eighth marker. _The Father and his Heralds begin to share their message with the people of Hope, offering them salvation from the Collapse._ Again she couldn’t help but give a light chuckle as she read it again. The few words made it seem so innocent, and maybe it was in the beginning but it was a far cry from where it all was now.

From behind her, she heard a twig snap accompanied by the ruffle of leaves. Standing to her feet she reached for her pistol but she was too late. Just as she managed to see where the sound was coming from a shot rang out, followed by the feeling that the left side of her head was on fire. Again she fell to her knees, crying out at the pain as one hand held her new wound and she tried to muster the strength to fire back, just as her vision blurred.

 

——————————

 

“Welcome to the Bliss.”

Faith's face was in front of her again blowing the familiar green smoke in her face, Rebecca couldn’t hold her breath or move only stare into her eyes as a sinister smile crossed the girls face.

" _No..no..not again!!_ "

She so desperately wanted to scream out but her voice was silent as everything went to a bright white. Time ceased to exist but her mind somehow held onto itself, she could hear faint voices but not make out what they were saying. She could hear the sounds of the environment around her, feel hands that were pulling on her arms as her legs dragged on the ground.

_Was that the sound of a large metal door? Are those handcuffs on my wrists? Another metal door…. Am I in Faith's gate? Shit…fuck! I was just joking when I said that to Joseph!!!_

Her mind was racing as time went by; how much she had no idea but her mind wouldn't stop. She tried for the longest time to move her fingers, her hands anything. She tried to scream out, to break out of whatever compulsion kept her staying put but nothing worked. She couldn't even cry when she so badly wanted to.

 

Just when her thoughts began to slow, as she felt she was about to drift to sleep she remembered everything anyone had ever told her about the Bliss and Faith…she remembered the mindless angels she had encountered and even killed. She had to keep fighting no matter how exhausted she was…maybe Faith was just waiting for her to give up, or maybe she was just punishing her. She remembered Joseph's words of needing to having something to hold onto when someone was going into the Bliss.

Her mind focused on flashes of her brother, her friends and finally Joseph himself as she imagined his face would appear if he was in front of her begging her to hold onto herself. She held onto those images until a familiar field began to come into focus all over again with Faith standing right in front of her. Again, she wished she could just throw one single punch into her smug little face.

"Don't you understand what we're trying to build?"

She asked as she pushed Rebecca, but instead of her falling like she expected she would,  she floated back a foot or two.

"Or do you just not care. I watch you run this way and that inflicting violence on those who wish no harm upon you."

Faith shook her head as her face combined anger with grief all at once, her hands pulling Rebecca in different directions as she spoke adding flair to her words.

"They are at peace here. They want to be here!"

 

She began skipping forward as she smiled and danced in a circle before returning back to Rebecca. Blue butterflies began flying as if right out of her white and floral knee-length dress as she turned back to her with a smile on her face. All adding to the confusion inside Rebecca's Bliss-riddled mind. Faith grasped her hands softly as she spoke, no longer in the grief riddled tone but one of compassion and worry, as if begging her to listen and stay there in the field.

"I know… I know you have your doubts. But this is the only way the story ends. Nothing you can do will change that. Your friends on the outside? They are controlled by _fear_. They don't understand."

Faith twirled her as she skipped over towards the creek, feeling as if her actions were not her own but knowing now was not the moment she could try and regain them. Sitting in a white boat with butterflies flying all around him sat the Marshall. She worried the last time her brother had seen him at the top of Joseph's statue was the last; given that Noah informed her he dove headfirst right off the book.

"But _he does_. Listen to him and find the same peace he has…come join our Family. Walk the Path just as _he_ has."

 

Faith's voice echoed away as she climbed into the boat with Burke's help as he welcomed her with an unnervingly calm tone of voice and informed her both he and Faith knew she wanted to take him away from there. As they began rowing down the creek he talked to her about how he didn't ever want to go back and that even though she thought she would be rescuing him, she wasn't. As they reached to a point where the flow of the water would carry them for a few moments Burke stopped rowing, looking up to the green fog where the sky should be and sighed heavily.

"Have you…have you ever stopped and looked at how your life's turned out? I mean…what you've actually done with it…you know?" 

His voice wasn't nearly as calm and held more emotion to each word as his face emoted along with a familiar eyebrow twitch she had seen before…one that sent chills down her spine.

"We're told we can be anything right?"

 

As if he was mocking the promises he reminded her that every kid is told he quirked an eyebrow and scoffed every so often. They can be famous…a singer, Hall of Famer, president…everyone can be a success. His eyes narrowed as he looked right into hers again another chill shot through her entire being. He paused before laughing and grabbing the ores following the creek again.

"We live mundane lives…just doing whatever someone else wants us to do. Day after day after day…"

His voice trailed as he tried to argue that free will didn't exist and how everyone lives someone else's life through an illusion and instruction for their goals. She couldn't believe the words she was hearing as he told her he was done with everything and wanted peace. She could hardly believe it was the same man who was pushing the Sheriff and all of them to barge into the church and arrest Joseph Seed in the first place. The same person who told them of what a psychopathic criminal he was…and now he was claiming to be happy in the Bliss with Faith?

"In the end, Rook…isn't that the only thing that matters? Happiness?"

 

Her mind snapped back as he said these final words and walked away picking up a white bliss flower as he did. 

"That's bullshit and you know it. Burke!" 

Her voice actually rang out…she heard it echo in the endless fog as the Marshall continued walking away.

" _Don't trust the Bliss, you need to get the Marshall."_

Her uncle's voice rang through her ears as she began walking forward, each step a fight with every ounce of strength just to move an inch but she wouldn't give up.

"God damn it…Fight Rebecca!"

She said to herself as she took another step watching as Burke began nearing the big iron gates in front of them.

"Fuck you…you psycho bitch… You..will..not…win!"

She exclaimed in anger towards Faith who she knew had to be listening to them. Fighting harder and harder until finally as she cried out _win_ she began rushing forward towards the Marshall, closing the gap between them.

"Burke! Stop!"

She yelled out one final time as he looked back at her then to the gate, shaking his head with eyes pleading her to not do it and to just let him go. A few more steps and he would be there, gone forever to the Bliss and to Faith.

"Fuck."

Rebecca launched off the ground and tackled the Marshall, landing on the ground with a loud hard thump as the world around her faded away again.


	45. Soon

Ever since she had literally tackled Burke out of the Bliss and from Faith's grip things had been unnervingly calm. For the past two weeks in the Henbane, and with the help of their friends and the Cougar's majority of the region belonged to the Resistance…at least temporarily. They had taken over each of the outposts scattered in the area, rescued countless of would be Bliss victims and managed to set quite a defense protocol in preparation for the confrontation with Faith that was undoubtedly about to take place.

Noah resumed taking flying lessons with Nick whenever he could; figuring having another pilot at their disposal would come in handy at one point or another. When he wasn't flying, doing rounds to outposts and gathering intel, he was at the Jail playing poker with Virgil, Whitehorse, Nick, Sharky, and Hurk. 'Guy's Night' as Rebecca always called it and she always made sure she was far away from the jail when they all got together. It nearly always leads to the younger men drinking a bit too much, conversations she rather not hear and all-around rowdiness.

As for Rebecca, she was struggling deeply with her own demons and the last trip of hers to the Bliss had taken a bit longer to recover from than before. The first day or two were a haze; in and out of consciousness, she remembered Burke refusing any help or drugs to come out and the Sheriff imploring him to take it. Her head ached and on the third day, she realized it was from more than a 'Bliss Hangover' but stitches to the side of her head where a bullet grazed her. Once the pain eased and she asked Adelaide and Tracy to help her with a new haircut to fix the quick half shave that the doc did to stitch her up. In all honesty; she loved her new edgy half-shaved head hairstyle especially because her Wrath was closer to the surface every day. With her new hair and keeping to her edgy style of dress with her signature jacket, she looked the part that John kept telling her to be. She would look to the Peggies to _be_ Wrath.

She was itching for the fight with Faith to finally come to its due. She no longer struggled with guilt about her sister, she found peace the minute she killed her murderer. Now, she struggled with how _easy_ it was to kill him…and that she enjoyed it. The first week after they had taken the last outpost she spent much of her energy planning supply runs from the outposts and the Jail, planning which outposts would assist where in the event of an attack and watched closely over any Peggie movements she came across. She became laser-focused, keeping her mind on the task at hand so she wouldn't have the darkness creep forward again. She didn't want to give in as she did at Jessop's Conservatory. She needed her control…all hell would break loose if she didn't have it.

 

Everything was quiet as she moved through the forest, her eyes scanning the area around her for movement. Armed only with a bow and her pistol it would be the worst situation to come across a convoy or patrol, but being back to the basics for hunting helped keep her mind calm. Most of the day was spent hunting while looking for a spot to camp under the stars while still having some protective cover, finding it near a waterfall along the Henbane River. Once camp was made and the sun had begun to set her mind traveled to other topics, ones she so desperately tried to avoid since she left Jones.

Reaching to her belt she first radio’d her brother for a sitrep on the outposts and any other information. Just like every other day, there were little to no changes. No sign of Faith, and no clue if Joseph was still in the region or returned to his compound. Both facts seemed to aggravate her brother, Rebecca found herself deeply hoping Joseph was nearby. Enough time had passed, she had hoped he forgave her for accusing him…yet still she wasn’t positive he didn’t know any of the plans. Just knew he didn’t want anything to happen when it had.

With a heavy sigh, she changed to Joseph’s channel. She had told her brother she was signing off coms for the night; needed rest and just the serenity of the Hope County wilderness. It wasn’t a complete lie; she always knew the best liars always included some truth to the stories they told. Holding the button down she raised the radio to her lips, speaking softly as if in fear someone still may hear in the middle of nowhere.

 

“Joseph?”

She paused, it had been weeks since she had last spoken to him. Maybe he didn’t care to speak to her, maybe he heard about Jessop’s and decided she was a lost cause even after their night in that church. She hadn't tried to reach him since Faith had taken her again, in part for the embarrassment that she let her guard down so much especially after her joke to him. Partly because she had no idea once again if he knew his sister's plans or his personal thoughts on it.  Sighing again she resolved herself to go for it.

“Joseph, are you there. I kn—“

“I am here, Rebecca.”

His voice had cut hers off. She smiled feeling that familiar calm he seemed to bring to her all over again.

"I never thanked you, for saving Noah."

"I didn't save him, Rebecca. I gave him a chance to save himself. Same chances I had given you."

She swallowed hard, a realization coming across her mind causing her body to feel as if it was about to break into a cold sweat. She remembered more every day of her time in the Bliss, but before Joseph had come to her was still blank. She knew her time there had changed her…and not for the better, she began to fear of what it had done to her brother.

 

"I need to see you."

She hadn't even consciously pressed the talk button, nor was completely out of her panicked thought when the words came out of her mouth. 

"Soon."

Again, Rebecca swallowed hard. Before she could ask when or how long he was already providing her a reason and her answer.

"Your own actions and my sister's reactions to them are why we cannot risk it now, My Rebecca."

Pressing the radio to her forehead she sighed. He was right…there was no way he could move anywhere near the area or leave his compound without one of her own scouts alerting the Resistance. She couldn't risk going to him or leaving the region, in fear that again with her absence Faith would make a move. Nor could she stay out of contact for long unless it was a few short hours for rest. Even then she usually woke up to some kind of radio call; not that she minded it…the nightmares kept her from a restful sleep.

"I understand, Joseph.  Talk soon."

 

With that, she switched her radio back to the Resistance frequency. If it was another time, maybe another place, they could easily see each other. But in every way they were supposed to be enemies now. He was the leader of the Cult trying to take over the entire county, taking who and what they wanted. She was the leader of the Resistance trying to stop him…he had even called her Hell following behind a Whitehorse.

Climbing into her tent she would try to find sleep, praying for it to be peaceful. Her mind was running constantly, going from worry to anger, sadness to pining to just be in Joseph's arms. The world she lived in now, the existence she created for herself…made her sick. She wanted a man she should hate, she fought a war she barely believed in past the love for her home and the knowledge that people should choose for themselves. Hurdling towards a very bloody end.

 

\------------------------

 

"Becks, Are you there?"

His voice felt distant, garbled by static. Rebecca turned in her bed as the voice came in again, this time with more urgency and desperation.

"Damn it, Becks if you are there pick up! Faith ---- Attack --- Jessop's taken, "

She shot straight up into a sitting position scrambling for the radio.

"Noah, What's going on?"

"Faith is making a push back. She tried for Jessop's but the defenses -- held -- for now --"

"Noah? You are breaking up. I'm on my way to the Jail."

"Be care -- trucks coming -- hurry. "

She translated the last message best she could, grabbing her boots and quickly lacing them onto her feet. Once again she was rushing to gear up and making her way back to the Jail, hoping to make it there before the first wave of Faith's attack came. attack

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I hope you enjoy this chapter my lovely readers! Check on my tumblr xxrockerangelxx for updates and also a link to my new discord server where I also will be sharing more inside glimpses, snippets and just discussing Far Cry and whats coming for Losing Hope along with other fanfictions I have plan for other fandoms! 
> 
> So here is the chapter question... What do you think is awaiting Rebecca at the Jail? Did Joseph know of his sister's plans and will he sit idly by as the conflict between the twins and Faith come to a head?


	46. Next Move

Crouched inside the brush she tried to stay as still as possible, even attempting to slow her breathing to a near stop as the cultist patrol passed by.  Reaching down she softly pat the top of Peaches shoulders, calming the predatory cat and signaling that it was not yet time to attack. In the distance she could hear gunfire and explosions, barely seeing the smoke in the dark of night.

“ _The Jail… I have to get there now.”_

She was battling herself in her own mind, the live comm feed playing in her ear as she hurried behind the patrol and across the road. For once she couldn’t just go in guns blazing, remembering how it has never worked for her before. As badly as she wanted to hurry and help her brother, uncle and friends for now being outside may be of benefit. 

 

Looking around it seemed the coast was clear and she took off running towards the tree line with Peaches close on her heels. Just as she was within reach of cover she felt a sharp pain in her leg causing her to stumble and nearly fall to her knees.

“Fuck!”

She couldn’t help but yell out as her hand grabbed her right calf, feeling where the bullet grazed her just enough to cause her to slow down. Looking behind her she saw two patrols swarm around her as she tried to grab her pistol.

Just as she released it from the leather holster she fell to the ground her vision blurring as her mind began to fog over.

“No…not…again…not so soon!”

 

————————————————————

 

Annoyingly, she  found herself in the field of Bliss flowers,  but this time it felt different. Looking around she saw her brother, knelt on the ground beside her with a blank expression; the same she was sure shown on her face despite the fight taking place in her mind. She was fighting with every ounce of her being as she tried to cry out to him, to beg him to wake up and get out of where ever they were being held.

Suddenly, a hand gripped her wrist and turned her harshly as the once soft voice was echoing its anger in her ear.

“I trusted you! _We_ trusted you!! And this is what we get?!”

The woman scoffed and shook her head looking at the twins. Rebecca swallowed hard as she stared right back at Faith, willing half a sneer onto her own lips.

She knew what caused Faith’s sudden increase in rage, just days before Noah had managed to locate and extract Burke from Faith — he refused to tell Rebecca how. They knew this final act would cause the already unstable woman to break.

“He didn’t want to go…you wouldn’t listen. You took him against his wishes…against the Father’s will.”

Faith focused on Noah, her eyes fixated on him and only him. Her voice began to soften in tone and volume, but still held the familiar venom that Rebecca had learned to recognize.

“You thought you saved him…but he was already saved.”

 

Just past Faith, a scene began to come into view. Once again, Faith grabbed both the twins arms she pulled them forward until it seemed as if they stood in the middle of Virgil’s office yet still in the middle of the Bliss fields.

_“What..no! Leave him be!”_

In her mind, she was screaming. Next to her, she could hear her own brother struggle to protest on his own. Helplessly they watched as Faith leaned into Burke’s ear, speaking to them with a sinister smile on her face.

“Now you will see..what I am really capable of. Now you will see…why you should have followed the Path.”

Her hand guided Burke’s after letting him agree to wear a Cougars pin if Virgil beat him in cards. Rebecca struggled to take one simple step forward, Noah’s hand barely reaching towards them all.

 

What happened next seemed to happen so slowly, as if it was played on the slow-motion replay at a Billings Mustang game but it was horribly real. They watched as Faith controlled Burke completely, as he shot Virgil in cold blood before destroying the control panel for the Jail and its security. When the gun raised to his own head finally Rebecca’s voice was able to break out...

“NO!!!”

But she was too late. His body fell to the ground as the sound of the shot echoed in their ears. Faith turned slowly towards them and smiled.

“Time to try and play hero again…but you will not succeed.”

 Before either Noah or Rebecca could break free and lunge towards Faith their vision lost its clarity. With a gasp, they both awoke down the road from the Jail only to see a full on assault by the cultists and no clue how they got there. Even worse, they didn’t have long to gather themselves if they wanted to stop Faith…if they wanted to save the Resistance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I hope you enjoyed this short quick filler chapter. I struggled how much I wanted to put into this chapter and had combined a couple of chapters together but after a lot of editing, reading through...checking it again it felt better to me to split them up so hopefully this week I can finish editing the next couple parts and have them out ASAP!


	47. Here Comes The Haze

Scrambling to their feet, Noah and Rebecca did not take the time to check themselves for any injuries or even worry about it. Their adrenaline was in complete overdrive cancelling out any pain they would be feeling and leaving Rebecca highly focused as she felt her Wrath bubbling deep inside.   She wanted to run as fast as she could to the Jail, try to save as many as she could and track down her uncle; but Noah saw it was already lost. Grabbing his sister around the waist he pulled her to the west side of the parking lot into a small grouping of trees, taking cover in the bushes that sat at the base of the trunk watching and waiting.

 Noah raised a finger to his lips to signal his sister to be silent before pointing at three Peggie sentries posted on the wall as another truck full entered the gate. Rebecca knelt down and took a quick inventory of her gear, trying to work out the solution in her own mind before even trying to discuss it with her brother. 

 "See the bus? We can climb up on the wall from there. We have to take out those sentries quickly and quietly before we are spotted. If they raise the alarm anyone still inside is dead."

Noah had already unholstered his silenced pistol before she could even try to discuss a more in detail plan besides 'take them out quickly and quietly', making his way towards the bus.

 

"For crying out loud…"

She muttered as she grabbed her bow and followed her brother, keeping low to the ground and avoiding any spotlights. They were one with the shadows, it was a time for calculated actions with minimal risks. If they were seen by only one of the enemy it would be game over before they even stepped foot inside the Jail.

 Climbing onto the hood of the bus she waited as her brother climbed the rest of the wall, her bow drawn and aimed waiting for the sentry to come into her view so she could fire it right into his skull. She slowed her breathing to a near stop, her eyes fixated on her target area as time slowed when he finally began to come into view. Hold…one…two…three… She fired and the large man fell with a loud thud; she winced worried his body falling alone would alert his friends.

Noah had taken care of one more guard they had not seen from their previous scouting spot as his sister joined him on the wall. Moving in the shadows, hiding behind boxes or laying as flat on the cold concrete as they could they took turns dispatching of the final guards.

 

Just as they reached the vent Noah suddenly fell down on one knee, Rebecca reacted quickly to grab onto his arm trying to steady him. A familiar giggle filling her ears and making her Wrath threaten to break free. Standing there by the entry point was the apparition of Faith they had grown far too accustomed to seeing in the region, taunting them about even trying to be heroes.

"Fuck off…you fucking druggie bitch."

She said as she fired her pistol against the apparition. Luckily she had the mind before ever beginning this assault to ensure all her weapons were silenced. In a puff of smoke she disappeared again but she could hear her voice still, but if she listened harder she could hear the cries of the Cougars being held inside.

"Fuck, Noah. We have to go."

His hands…no his entire body was shaking as he followed his sister through the small vent. His muscular frame would normally barely fit and he risked getting stuck completely; but with how Hope County had been he had shed a lot of weight with lack of eating…or just not having time nor want to.

 

"Let me tell you how this works…" _Thump!_

They heard as they silently dropped out of the vent onto the upper floor of the cellblock. Two Peggies patrolling the second tier, while four more were on the ground floor beating those they had captured, all while laughing and taunting them.

 " _Joseph would hate this if he saw it… He would have to…wouldn't he…?"_

 Were the questions she found herself asking as she watched. Swallowing it down quickly before motioning her brother to take one guard on the next tier, she had the other before moving forward.  They had to move quickly, Noah had jumped and silenced his guard with his knife. Rebecca with a quick shot with her bow when she couldn't get close enough. He pulled his pistol, she grabbed another arrow.

 

" _One…two…three.."_

They mutually mouthed to each other. Two each, and if they didn't miss a shot they would fall fast and no one else would get hurt. What Rebecca didn't know is Noah could barely see straight, the familiar haze feeling of the Bliss forming over his eyes. He missed his first shot, luckily Becks made hers.

"Fuck!"  She said more loudly as she grabbed her pistol and fired to the three who were preparing to aim on her brother or on their hostages.

 

 "Hey! Over here fuckwads!" She yelled at them.

Two fired up into the air hitting the concrete ceiling. The other shot towards her and barely grazed her shoulder. With that she fired quickly with her 1911; one-handedly towards each in succession planting at least two shots in each. Time felt like it nearly stopped at that moment, she felt her wrath bubbling at her surface yet calm washing over her like it would when she would have those quiet moments with Joseph.

She stood there breathing heavily for who knew how long when Tracey's voice calling for her to help brought her back to reality and the world seemed to go back to the normal speed. Across from her, she saw her brother stand there with his pistol in hand, eyes looking at her in a half shocked, a half-dazed look that she wouldn't have time to comment on.

 

Jumping down from her perch she ran over to Tracey; only to be told that the keys were somewhere on the bodies of the men she had just killed. In that moment she felt her gut clench….She would have to not only look at them closer in the face; and hope it wasn't someone she knew once, but also feel around their pockets?!

"I got this Becks."

His voice was almost as shaken as his hand as it heavily rested on her shoulder for a moment. At least no matter what had been going on, some things her brother could just read from her. Some things….he just knew. She prayed he wasn't picking up on other things she wasn't really sure she ever wanted him to know…Like things about her and Joseph.

\---------------------------------------------------------------

"This is what she does! She killed him!!!"

Tracey screamed through her tears as she held Virgil's limp body in her arms, his blood pooling underneath the two of them. Rebecca knelt there, staring at her bloodied palms unable to look at them. Fighting back tears of her own, choking on any words she would say. Swallowing hard she stood, rubbing her hands over her jeans in an attempt to wash away the blood but it would remain stained there until she could get her hands on some soap and water.

"She has the Sheriff, Rook. So fucking go. Kill that fucking bitch…Don't let her get away with this, Rook."

Her voice was still shaky but her eyes were full of fire and hate. Looking back at her brother, another nod shared. It was time to end this with Faith…there was no other way to do it. Seeing as now she had their family…it was time to bring her down.

 

Noah headed out the door first, Rebecca just behind him…and the haze took over. The Bliss was coming…He fell hard to his knees, eyes staring blankly ahead as Rebecca tried as hard as she could to pull him back up. Then it started coming for her too. 

"Of course….she…can't…play…fair…" Rebecca said as she fell to the ground next to her brother, her still healing stitched head hitting the pavement. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my wonderful readers who have been so patient for more chapters! I am actually excited for what's coming soon for this book and I hope you all will enjoy what I have planned. Lots of what you all have said you already love plus more.... Just think...there is another Seed we have yet to meet!


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